This archive report was first published on 9 June 2020.
On Monday, residents of Mathare slums in Nairobi city of Kenya took to the streets to protest police brutality in enforcing the curfew order, which was imposed by the government amid fears of the novel coronavirus infections to halt the spread of the virus.
Published on June 9, 2020, the protests came after a section of Kenyans had faulted the police for using excessive force to enforce the curfew order during the first days of its implementation.
According to rights groups, police are accountable for more than 20 deaths linked to curfew enforcement, with the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) stating that cases of 15 people allegedly killed by the police since the enforcement of the curfew are under investigations.
At the same time, IPOA revealed that it has received 87 complaints linked to police action since the curfew started, with the public linking the police with general harassment and assault in addition to the killings.
Despite initial warnings that protesters could face jail term for defying the social gathering order, many demonstrations took place in the densely populated city slum, with many protesters seen wearing face masks.
Organizers of the protests stated that the demonstrations were not linked to the global protests prompted by the death of African American, George Floyd, who died in the hands of police in Minneapolis.
However, one of the organizers told the French News Agency AFP that it is important to stand in solidarity with those encountering police brutality both locally and globally.
"It is important to stand in solidarity with victims of brutality both locally and globally," the organizer said.
