MATUU, Kenya — One person has been fatally shot and several others injured on Wednesday following violent confrontations between police and demonstrators in Matuu, Machakos County, as Gen Z-led protests spread across the wider region.
Eyewitnesses reported that the man sustained fatal injuries when a group of protesters attempted to storm the Matuu police station. The demonstrators, actively chanting anti-government slogans, were met with forceful police action, as tear gas was deployed to disperse the agitated crowd.
Scenes of chaos unfolded around the police station, with several protesters observed carrying wounded colleagues away from the immediate vicinity. Reports indicate that police officers were at one point overwhelmed by the sheer number of demonstrators.
In response, officers from the Border Patrol Unit, stationed at the Border Police Unit’s headquarters in Kanyoonyo, Kitui County, have since been dispatched to reinforce security in the area.
Further south, in Mlolongo, protesters succeeded in blocking sections of the vital Nairobi–Mombasa Highway by setting tires ablaze. Police responded by deploying tear gas and engaging in running battles to regain control of the area, particularly along the Nairobi Expressway.
The situation was similarly tense in Machakos town, where law enforcement officers lobbed tear gas canisters to break up crowds of demonstrators.
In Makueni County, protesters erected barricades across segments of the Nairobi–Mombasa Highway at Emali, Makindu, Kibwezi, and Sultan Hamud.
Participants in Makueni stated that their demonstration served as a memorial for those who have tragically lost their lives in recent protests.
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Isaac Wambua, one of the demonstrators, articulated their purpose, stating: “Today, we are here for the memorial of all Gen Zs who have died at the hands of police. They weren’t criminals—they were killed for exercising their constitutional rights.”
He further emphasized the protesters’ intent: “We are unarmed, carrying only candles and face masks. We came in peace.
An injury to one youth is an injury to all youths. Some have been killed in police cells, others on the streets. We are peaceful, but if teargassed, we have to retaliate.”
The protests, which have witnessed a significant surge across various parts of Kenya in recent weeks, continue to underscore the escalating tensions between government authorities and a new generation of activists determined to ensure their voices are heard.
