Another Vehicle Set On Fire During Fresh Nairobi CBD Protests [VIDEO]

Chaos on Friday, June 13, erupted in the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) after angry hawkers set a Nairobi County (kanjo) vehicle on fire.

Multiple clips seen by Viral Tea showed the vehicle overturned and consumed by the inferno. The chaotic scenes forced police officers to fire tear gas to disperse the irate mob near Afya Centre.

The chaos in the city centre erupted following a reported standoff between hawkers and county askaris.

Though unconfirmed, reports suggest the hawkers were reacting to what they described as ongoing harassment by county officials, sparking the tension and resulting disorder.

JUST IN: Angry hawkers set Nairobi County vehicle on fire in CBD#ViralVideos pic.twitter.com/4KRvQLI6er — Viral Tea Ke (@ViralTeaKe) June 13, 2025

The ensuing clash plus police intervention caused widespread panic across the city on a Friday, whereby human traffic usually peaks, even during rush hour. One such clip captured Nairobi residents retaliating against teargas canisters lobbed to disperse the irate crowd.

It is still unclear whether the scuffle resulted in any injuries or casualties, but early reports suggest the situation remained under control and did not spiral into chaos.

Clashes between city county askaris—commonly known as kanjo—and hawkers, who often operate illegally within the city centre, are frequent. These encounters typically involve running battles, with hawkers scrambling to evade arrest.

This is the second consecutive day that vehicles have been set alight during protests in the CBD. On Thursday, June 12, two vehicles were torched along Aga Khan Walk during protests over the murder of popular X influencer Albert Ojwang at the hands of police officers.

However, several reports claimed that the vehicles were deliberately planted to paint a negative picture of what were peaceful protests.

Spot checks conducted by Kenyans through the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) portal alleged that the number plates did not match the type of vehicles; one was linked to a lorry last inspected in 2017, and the other a matatu last inspected in 2020, both of which were reportedly removed from the NTSA records.

On Thursday, June 12, hundreds of youth took to the streets of Nairobi’s CBD, demanding the resignation of Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat. The demonstrations threatened to disrupt key activities in the city, just as Kenyans anticipated the reading of the 2025/2026 Budget by Treasury CS John Mbadi.

Protesters marched through major landmarks, including City Hall, Jeevanjee Gardens, and the Parliament Buildings, while also blocking key roads like Harambee Avenue in a show of defiance against the security cordon around Parliament.

Police responded with tear gas and other crowd-control measures to break up the demonstrations. Many of the protesters, draped in Kenyan flag colours, chanted in solidarity, holding Lagat responsible for the murder of Ojwang.

Two vehicles set on fire during protests in Nairobi CBD on June 12, 2025. /X