How the 'Ocuppy Parliament' protests went down

Occupy Parliament was a planned peaceful demonstration that took place yesterday to influence and pressure members of parliament to vote against the proposed Finance Bill 2024 and its taxes.

It was an initiative that was started by Kenyan activists led by Boniface Mwangi, that had been publiciced to take place on Tuesday the 18th of June.

The protest organisers had instructed its participants to put on black attires, and carry placards and a few essentials like water.

The protesters had designated meeting points that included the Kenya National Archives, Nation Center, the Supreme Court, Taifa Road, and Kencom stage in Nairobi. 

Kenyans without disappointment showed up prepared to match to parliament where the debate of the Finance Bill 2024 was to commence soon.

Young Kenyans, lawyers, and activists were seen chanting ''Ruto Must Go!'' while holding banters labelled ''Reject Finance Bill'' and other words.

The Nairobi Regional Police Commander, Adamson Bungei, had declared the protest illegal and banned it.

He also deployed the police and GSU officers to disperse any gathering near the Parliament Building on the protest day.

There were police in uniform while others were dressed as civilians to ambush the protestors.

The police were also seen repeatedly chasing away the crowd of protestors with teargas and water cannons.

However, in the process, a policeman injured his hand while throwing teargas at the protestors and lost his fingers.

Many protestors were arrested including activist Hanifa, Boniface Mwangi, Influencer Murugi Munyi and journalists covering the protests.

Some journalists also faced the police asking them not to teargas them as they documented the events of the day.

"Wacheni kutuharass. Why are we now the target,"  some of the journalists were heard saying.

The Law Society of Kenya, in the afternoon, demanded that Nairobi region police commander Adamson Bungei call off his directive to his officers to engage protesters in the Occupy Parliament demo.

The LSK lawyers also went to camp at the Central Police Station to demand the release of those arrested.