NAIROBI: Kenyan police fired tear gas on Thursday to disperse protesters in Nairobi after dozens took to the streets in memory of demonstrators killed two years ago in anti-government rallies against tax hikes and the cost of living.

A total of 355 people were arrested in various parts of the East African country, interior minister Kipchumba Murkomen said. He apologised for barricades and other security measures aimed at containing the protests.

“We regret the inconveniences occasioned by these measures, and at the same time appreciate their effectiveness in securing the city and other parts of the country,” Murkomen told reporters.

Organisers had planned marches to mark the second anniversary of the unrest, when protesters breached parliament grounds before a crackdown left at least 60 people dead, according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.

A correspondent saw police fire tear gas to scatter people gathering peacefully at Nairobi’s main police station after security forces detained at least six outside parliament, where they had laid flowers. Footage broadcast on Citizen TV also showed police firing tear gas on the outskirts of Nairobi.

Published in Dawn, June 26 , 2026