Anti-government Group And Supporting Kenyan President Clashes

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JAKARTA - Kenyan police fired tear gas to break up clashes between groups of protesters and government supporters in the capital Nairobi.

The protests, which began to oppose tax increases and peaked with parliamentary raids, continued despite President William Ruto scrapping a draft USD 2.7 billion financial law in June.

At the time, Ruto also fired nearly all members of his cabinet, although he still had a lot left over from the previous administration when he appointed the composition of his new cabinet on Friday last week.

For the first time since the protests began on June 18, a group of government supporters, mostly riding a motorcycle, paraded in downtown Nairobi while blowing whistles and plastic horns and carrying posters that read "We support the president" and "That's enough."

"We will ensure that businesses must return to normal in this city. We condemn the protests," said a government supporter, who declined to give his name.

Police said the protests, which had killed 50 people, were infiltrated by criminal gangs.

Anti-government protesters chanted the most decisive mantra: "Ruto must step down."

Police are only targeting us peaceful protesters, while paid thugs, who wear masks and ride motorbikes with hidden number plates, move in front of our eyes while police only watch, said a protester, who also declined to name names.