‘We want food’: Standoff in Eastleigh as irate residents take to the streets

A section of Eastleigh residents are demanding relief food following government restrictions on movement in and out of the ward.

They took to the streets on Monday morning holding up placards that read ‘We want food’.

Officers from National Police Service and General Service Unit (GSU) were engaged in running battles as they tried to disperse the irate crowd.

The government banned movement in and out of Eastleigh in Nairobi on May 6 over the rising number of people testing positive for Covid-19.

Health CS Mutahi Kagwe said the cessation of movement would be in force for 15 days.

He also directed immediate closure of markets, restaurants and eateries within the area for the same period as well as cessation of public transport.

On May 8, Interior CS Fred Matiang’i met with community and business leaders from Eastleigh where he dismissed claims that the government was targeting particular individuals with the partial lockdown.

He further directed that security personnel manning roadblocks should allow movement of cargo and foodstuff in and out of the area.