Kenya Police Fire Teargas At Protesters Protesting Security At President’s Office

Protesters chant slogans as they carry wooden crosses during the #OccupyHarambeeAve protest in Nairobi

Kenyan police used teargas to disperse a number of demonstrators who were shouting “President, Stop the killings!” outside President Uhuru Kenyatta’s offices in a protest over 28 people killed in a weekend attack claimed by Islamist militants. Reuters report:

The crowd also laid crosses and four coffins outside the building during the protest dubbed #OccupyHarambeeAve, a reference to the president’s address. Backers also lit up Twitter with demands the government act to prevent attacks – the most deadly of which, on a shopping mall, killed 67 in 2013.

As armed police stood nearby, protesters chanted “Lenku must go!” “Kimaiyo must go!”, demanding that the president remove Interior Minister Joseph ole Lenku, who is in charge of security, and Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo.

Kenyatta was out of Kenya, East Africa’s largest economy, at the time of the protest attended by about 200 people.

Lenku said through a spokesman that he would not resign. Kimaiyo was not immediately available to comment.

Deputy President William Ruto said on Sunday that security forces had killed more than 100 militants after the ambush of a Nairobi-bound bus on Saturday, and reassured Kenyans the government would pursue the militants.