A wave of panic gripped Parliament Buildings on Wednesday afternoon as Members of Parliament were forced to hurriedly evacuate the premises following fears of a security breach linked to ongoing anti-government protests in the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD).
A video clip obtained by media showed several MPs’ vehicles rapidly exiting the parking area adjacent to Uhuru Highway.
Lawmakers who had reported for the morning session were seen leaving in haste, amid concerns that demonstrators could breach security barriers.
Also Read
The tension escalated shortly after the National Assembly adjourned its morning session due to a lack of quorum, bringing the discussion of six key bills to a standstill.
Ugenya MP David Ochieng, who was chairing the session in the absence of Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, called off proceedings citing repeated absenteeism from motion sponsors.
“It is becoming quite an issue because the same situation occurred last week, where members had their motions listed in the order paper but failed to appear to prosecute them,” he noted.
“I have advised the speaker that the motions listed for last week and this week be permanently dropped.”
The decision to abandon Parliament was made against a backdrop of heightened security. In anticipation of protests, a heavy contingent of police had been deployed earlier in the day.
Anti-riot officers, water cannon trucks, metal barricades, and surveillance teams manned key entry points to Parliament to prevent unauthorized access.
Despite these measures, fears grew among MPs as large groups of protesters continued to pour into the city centre by midday, particularly along Moi Avenue and Kenyatta Avenue.
Initially peaceful, the demonstrations were meant to honour victims of last year’s tragic events, where several protestors were gunned down outside Parliament.
However, growing tensions and increased turnout raised alarms within government ranks.
This comes just two days after the government dismissed warnings of a planned protest on June 25, stating there would be no demonstrations—remarks that triggered public outrage and only seemed to galvanize the protest movement further.
As the situation unfolds, pressure continues to mount on Parliament and security agencies to find a lasting solution to the unrest that has, once again, disrupted legislative operations and heightened political uncertainty in the capital.