Police in Nairobi on Friday reportedly used water cannons, tear gas and live ammunition on demonstrators after they took to the streets to protest the demolition of houses and shops earlier this week that left thousands homeless.
The protests erupted in the Korogocho slum and quickly spread to the ring road that connects it with the rest of Kenya's capital. Demonstrators set fire to tires and built barricades in the streets, prompting the police response.
City officials Monday began bulldozing homes and shops in the Kariobangi neighborhood that the city says was illegally built on government land. The demolition reportedly left as many 7,000 people homeless.
Rights activists have criticized the government for the timing of the forced evictions, and they have criticized Kenyan police for allegedly using excessive force while enforcing government measures aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus.
The Kenyan government has ordered a nationwide curfew running from 7 p.m. until 5 a.m. because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
