Mathare residents kneel before police, seek for Ruto, Raila dialogue

A section of women in Mathare, Nairobi raised their hands and knelt before police during Azimio protests on Thursday, as a sign of surrender.

The women came out of their houses and faced the police 'head on' albeit peacefully, to implore them to stop lobbying teargas canisters at youth protesting in one of the roads in the slum.

They said the teargas was affecting them, given the fact that residential houses are close to where youth had engaged police in running battles for the better part of the morning.

Youth wanted to leave the slum to head towards the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) for protests, but police would here none of it.

As such, stones and teargas exchanged hands and direction between the youth and police.

Tired of the back and forth, the women came out calling for truce. Some could be seen crying.

They said as as results of the demons and police action, their children could not go to school.

"Our lives cannot go on. My children can't go to school, I cannot open my business to fend for my kids, I don't know what they will eat in the evening," said one of the women.

"I urge President William Ruto and Raila Odinga to come to the negotiating table so that our lives can return to normalcy," she added.

Police could be seen keenly listening to the residents. The locals asked police to leave so that they go on with their businesses.

Soon after, teargas was lobbed again. It was not however clear whether it was lobbed by police or residents.

Odinga has called for demos every Monday and Thursday to push for lowering of the cost of living, among other demands.

This is the second week of the demos.

Three people have died in Kisumu, scores injured and a host of youth arrested over the demos.