Saba saba: Inside chaotic protests that shook Free Area

When I went to work on the morning of the anticipated Saba Saba protest yesterday, the plan was to see how things pan out in Nakuru City Center.

Little did I know my base would shift from the CBD to Free Area. This was usual, as Nakuru demos have always been centres in the CBD. 

Police had sealed off entry into town by setting up heavy barricades along estate-to-town routes. I counted at least six officer at one stop.

They set camp at key points, turning back all motorbikes and anyone who looked like they might be heading into the city to stir things up.

For the first time on a protest day, the heart of the city was unusually calm. A quiet tension patrolling the streets.

Shop stayed shut, and unfamiliar figures wielding rungus walked around chatting amongst themselves. The men were in green reflective vests near Bazar Road, around Wa Morgan, and close to Dubai Plaza.

They stood outside shops and business entrances, and anyone making a run in their direction was quickly shooed off, with the stern warning, "Usijaribu Kukaribia hapa."

I could tell some business owners clearly recognized them. But no one would speak about it, at least not on record. Their presence was quietly accepted, and welcomed by a many, especially after the break-ins and looting that had hit hard during the June 25 demos.

However, just a few kilometers away in Free Area the protest heat was at full blast. 

For hours, the sounds of gunshots and tear gas echoed through the air. Police and protestors clashed repeatedly, advancing, retreating.

To avoid escalation, police reached out for dialogue. At one point we thought this would work and the protest was over.

But things didn’t go as expected.

In the middle of the dialogue , a section of protesters deflated one of the police vehicle’ tyre. As others climbed on top, waving and chanting anti-government slogans in open defiance.

It was then that other police officers intervened to clear the crowd, shooting countless teargas canisters.

Even the media got a dose of the chaos. I lost my phone after a protester snatched it while I was filming. But in an unusual twist, other protestors chased down the thief and returned the phone, insisting the media deserved respect.

Still, that moment of honor didn’t last long.

When the mood shifted, my colleagues and I had to run for cover. We took cover at an entertainment joint in Free Area as protesters hurled stones at passing vehicles and looted from motorists in broad daylight.

Passengers and drivers alike were forced to ‘pay for safe passage’ with money and in some instance, their phones. The protesters had split in two groups, those extorting passengers and those trying to stop it.

The two factions exchanged blows and soon enough those who were looting were overpowered and forced to run for safety.

The protest again went back to anti - government chants and dancing along the Nakuru -Nairobi Highway.

But things got worse.

A police officer was thrown off his horse and the protestors charged up in an attempt to attack him. The horse bolted for safety, while police fired shots in the air to rescue their fellow officer just in time.

While police treated to maintain the barricade to prevent the protestors from accessing the city center some of them took advantage of this. 

And in this moment businesses were targeted.  West End Supermarket was looted and goods of unknown value stolen.

As night crept in, little had changed. The Free Area still bore the weight. Gunshots could be heard from Naka estate as late up to 7pm.

Meanwhile, back in the CBD, the strange silence held steady. No matatus came in town. Shops remained locked and the green-vested men still stood firm, ready to protect their shops till dawn if need be.