Fears of unrest as Kenyans mark first anniversary of storming of parliament

Pro-government counter-protesters at a demonstration in downtown Nairobi over the death of the Kenyan blogger Albert Ojwang, on 17 June this year. Photograph: Thomas Mukoya/Reuters

Kenyans plan to march countrywide on Wednesday, the first anniversary of the historic storming of parliament by protesters, to honour those killed during last year’s anti-government protests, but there are fears that the march could escalate into unrest.

Rights activists, family members of killed and missing protesters, and young Kenyans, who were the main drivers of last year’s protests, have mobilised online and offline, with opposition leaders terming the day a “people’s public holiday” and the government warning against attempts to disrupt public order.