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This thread is about what happened at the #SabaSabaMarchForOurlives . I'm typing it after a long night, because I keep getting panic attacks thinking the cops are behind me or I hear a loud sound and my first instinct is to run thinking ni teargas, also hearing screams in my head
@zandiiiiiiii & I got to Town at about 10:30AM, and @karwitha___ & @kedolwa_waziri had already told us that they were dispersed, and cops were heavily present in Tao. They also took any solidarity merch protestors had on, & this is how we know they're always watching. ALWAYS.
We stood at Archives for a bit, planning to regroup and march, that's when I first ran. We heard that bang of a teargas cannister & ran towards the road, anywhere to get away from those killer cops. Mind you, NONE of us had been violent in ANY way.
AND THE GSU TRUCKS/ PICK UPS/ COP CARS KEPT STREAMING IN.
We met on the other side of the road, and started marching & chanting along hiyo njia ya Kencom. We hadn't even done that for two minutes when they threw teargas at us. We all scattered into different buildings, coughing, crying, mucus streaming out our noses...
But still holding our placards, still telling the other civilians who were not part of the protest why we were protesting. Still educating. The folks at @healthyuke were amazing, gave us water, let us shelter. We took care of each other amidst the chaos.
So, we waited till the GSU truck out there left (This was around the time Keddie got arrested) and went to hiyo side ya IMAX. That's when I heard about the arrest, and walked away a bit to cry. An old man hapo Kencom started cursing at us, telling us he'll beat us himself.
YOU WANT TO BEAT & CURSE AT THE PEOPLE PUTTING THEIR FUCKING LIFE ON THE LINE FOR YOU NOT TO BE HARASSED/ STOLEN FROM/ KILLED BY POLICE?! Karwitha & @colourmequeerke tried being polite to him at first, but he kept going. WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH THIS STATE?!
We were to go down Aga Khan walk, but the GSU were coming for us from that side. Huko IMAX, cops were trailing us, even kawaida AP. We got into private property, and one of them tried getting in to chase us. The plan became, we go to Jeevanjee.
My memory might be a bit off because at this point nimekula teargas mara mbili na nimekimbishwa mara kaa tatu. We go round to sides of Naivas, down to Manhattan, three GSU trucks passed us (or maybe the same one going round) and we had to hide behind things or break the group.
We get to hapo Manhattan, a truck stops, cops stream out & go into an alley, where a couple of protestors had gone. @TrapMoneyMelly comes from the office & donates water & milk for the protestors (I hope you're seeing ways of getting round capitalism & showing solidarity
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Now we regroup again, go to Jeevanjee. They've broken us up so many times that kuna watu Harambee Ave, wengine Fire Station, wengine Odeon, wengine bado na huko Kencom. They had planned this shit. And poured OUR tax money into it.
We get there, get placards & skulls to carry, and the list of things we demand for (our rights) are read. Then we march. Less than five minutes later, cops. We run, I shelter at Absa. A teargas cannister is thrown like a meter from where I am. We keep walking.
Hapo CJs, the small group that went in that direction starts chanting, "Stop killing us!" "Polisi ni adui!" KENYANS ARE JUST LOOKING AT US. LIKE WE'RE NOT ALL IN DANGER OF BEING KILLED. NI KAMA HATUIBIWI SISI WOTE BILLIONS KILA SIKU. MNAKUWANGA AJE?! ARE YOU THAT BLIND?!
Tuko hapo karibu City Market sasa. We walk & chant to Nation Media House, and now plan to walk to Jamia. We didn't go far, again. GSU pulls up again, teargas, arresting people forcefully. @fictamblus & I try hide in a shop, the workers don't let us in. So we stand & act "normal".
After the cops leave, I ask those guys, "Mnakataa kutuficha na ni nyinyi tunatetea?" Of which, the replies were, "Nani amekuambia ututetee?! Sisi hatujakutuma?! Ukiuliwa utauliwa peke yako! Fuck you!"
Those words have replayed in my head over & over again. A loop of torture.
Those words have replayed in my head over & over again. A loop of torture.
We go to Nation again, dispersed again. So we head to Ukombozi Library to re-strategize. Upon leaving, some of us go to Central Police to ask for the release of our fellow protestors.
We get to the gate, and we're told no one can go in. I ask, even to pay bail? No. Mpaka saa ngapi? Kujeni kesho. So wanalala ndani? *silence* Another cop comes outside & says he's here to answer our questions. Pat attention to the next part...
He says they can't release the guys because " #OperationSabaSaba " is still going on in Town, so once the "senior cops" finish "rounding up" people in Town, we can get all of them out. I ask what #OperationSabaSaba is, he's getting mad. Says he's not there to answer to us (?!)
The cops inside are pointing to those of us filming. We don't put our cameras down either way.
Then another cop comes out. I'll just post the videos I took of her talking.
Then another cop comes out. I'll just post the videos I took of her talking.
This was at about 3:15 hapo. They come out of the station, a lot of cops, telling us to leave. We walk slowly & go to the flyover. She tells us to disappear. We tell her it's public land, we have the right to be here. Brian asks her what law we're breaking...
She says hajui, we go find out for ourselves (?!) We hang at the top of the flyover for a bit, then leave to go eat & charge our phones as we wait for five pm. Five kufika, tukarudi. We were there till fucking eight pm. *Continuing on another thread*
*continuation* NOW THIS IS A RANT. FUCK THE STATE. FUCK THE LEADERS. FUCK THE POLICE. DEFUND & ABOLISH IT ALL. FUCK THE VIOLENCE WE WERE SHOWN. FUCK THE UNLAWFUL ARRESTS, AND BAIL THAT HAD TO BE PAID. FUCK THE COPS STEALING CASH FROM THOSE THEY ARRESTED. FUCK! https://twitter.com/mylittudiary/status/1280723629928521728
Thank you to all of you who showed up. I pulled up with my sinuses & anxiety attacks. Some of you skipped work to show up, sneaked away from home to show up, sacrificed so much for a state that gives so little.
@njokingumi for caring for us & providing resources, contacts for lawyers who negotiated bail & updated us on what was happening inside. For you guys who sent money to the bail fund, asante. That's how you use capitalism against itself. Can't come protest? Open your purse then...
Rant on social media. This platform works! Social media activism works! We've seen that time and time again! Your silence is complicit! Usikimye!
For you who had the means to come protest, uko healthy, but umekaa tu home, FUCK YOU. KABISA. Alafu usiku time kila kitu imetulia ndio unakuja hapa, "Gai what happened? How did it go? Why were guys arrested? Babe uko sawa?" Umekuwa Twitter na IG all day but rada umetupanisha?!
Ah zii. Ah ah. "Not all of us can go to the streets..." headass, but you broke all quarantine rules to party every weekend with your friends?! Go fuck yourself. I'm sick of y'all acting so absent & aloof to things affecting all of us.
Basic human rights ndio tunataka. Kila mtu apate dishi, maji safi, stima, elimu poa, hosi isiwe kitu ya kuingisha watu kwa madeni, tuwache kuchapwa na kuuliwa na karau. BASIC RIGHTS.
Anyways. Donate to mutual aid. Donate to the social justice centers. Use your voice, and I keep saying, even with your 8 followers, that's a platform. USE IT.
I'm still angry. My body still hurts. I'm still hearing screams & teargas shots in my head. Like @Sherr_16 said, y'all aren't angry enough for me.
