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Over 150 people were yesterday arrested as a former minister, two policemen and one civilian were injured in city riots.
Security personnel battled with Bomas Katiba Watch activists who were trying to enter Uhuru Park for their rally that was banned on Friday.
Former minister Isaac Ruto was roughed up by a rowdy mob of demonstrators who confronted him on University Way, near Anniversary Towers.
The demonstrators intending to loot accosted Mr Ruto who had joined them in their march and instead demanded money from him. He was later treated at Mater Hospital.
The two police officers were injured when the previously peaceful mob, angry at not being allowed into Uhuru Park started pelting the riot squad with stones.
One police officer was rushed to Forces Memorial in a police ambulance after he was hit in the nose with a stone. His colleague, who suffered a leg injury, was treated by members of the Kenya Red Cross Society.
A demonstrator who defied police orders and attempted to force his way into Uhuru Park was bitten by a police dog on the buttocks. He was taken to a city hospital for treatment.
Over five hundred officers drawn from the General Service Unit (GSU), administration police, regular and plain clothes officers from CID were deployed in the operation.
Two tear gas spewing lorries, each escorted by two GSU Land Rovers carrying armed officers, were quickly called in after the frustrated demonstrators overturned telephone and Kenya Charity Sweepstake booths onto the road, lit bonfires and barricaded some roads.
The battle ground was restricted to Uhuru Highway, Biashara street, Kenyatta Avenue, Tom Mboya street and Kimathi street.
The Commissioner of Police, Brig Mohammed Ali, Nairobi Provincial Police boss King'ori Mwangi and his CID counterpart co-ordinated the operations from a police helicopter over-flying the city.
Mr Mwangi said police had restrained themselves from confronting the demonstrators but the mob unfortunately became rowdy and destroyed property.
"We have been very civil in handling the situation because we did not want chaos but unfortunately, it is the Katiba Watch people who have become unruly," Mr Mwangi said.
The officers had explicit instructions not to injure anyone but ensure that no one enters Uhuru Park. The officers restrained themselves even under extreme provocation, said the police boss.
Security personnel were sent to Uhuru Park as early as midnight to cordon off the grounds after a day long meeting of senior police officers at the CID headquarters and Police Pavilion at the CID training school.
Administration Police Training School Commandant George MacGoye said most of the demonstrators were interested in looting.
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