Kenyan police shut down much of the capital with a massive security operation on Thursday to prevent protests marking two years since a landmark "Gen Z" uprising.
Activists had hoped to hold a memorial march for the dozens killed by security forces in June 2024 protests against economic hardship and corruption that led to parliament being stormed.
It was a watershed moment as young Kenyans rallied together, ignoring traditional ethnic divisions, turning June 25 into an annual day of protest thanks to ongoing frustration with the government of President William Ruto.
But they have paid a heavy price: at least 127 people were killed across the two years of protests, according to a police watchdog, as security forces shot people with near-total impunity.
The authorities took no chances on Thursday, closing off traffic on major roads into central Nairobi and flooding key areas with officers who fired teargas at the first sign of groups gathering.
