Activists Arrested In Nairobi During Anti-Imperialist Protest Against France–Africa Summit

Tensions erupted in Nairobi on Tuesday after Kenyan police arrested activists, intellectuals, and international delegates during a protest against the ongoing France–Africa Summit, an event critics say represents a renewed attempt by France to strengthen its influence across Africa. The summit, officially branded the “Africa Forward Summit,” was hosted by William Ruto and attended by Emmanuel Macron.

The anti-imperialist demonstrations marked the climax of a two-day counter-summit organised by progressive movements under the banner of the Pan-Africanism Summit Against Imperialism. Participants included activists, trade unionists, students, scholars, and political organisers from Kenya and several other countries. According to preliminary reports from organisers, at least 13 people were arrested during the May 12 protest, including delegates from Greece, South Korea, Britain, and France, alongside eight Kenyan activists.

Witnesses said riot police blocked demonstrators from marching toward the Dedan Kimathi Statue and fired tear gas at crowds during the procession. The statue honours Dedan Kimathi, one of the leading figures in Kenya’s anti-colonial Mau Mau uprising against British rule during the 1950s.

Organisers of the counter-summit accused France and Western powers of pursuing continued political and economic domination in Africa through military agreements, debt systems, and resource extraction. Delegates at the gathering criticised what they described as imperialist repositioning in East Africa under the guise of diplomatic and economic partnerships.

Several speakers reportedly raised concerns about foreign military presence, multinational corporate control of African resources, and increasing debt dependency across the continent.

The demonstrations reflected growing anti-imperialist sentiment among sections of African youth and progressive political organisations.

The arrests on Tuesday followed an earlier incident involving members of the Communist Party of Kenya. The party said five members of its student wing, the Revolutionary Student Commission, were detained on Monday while protesting against the summit in Nairobi. According to party officials, the students were held overnight at Central Police Station and had not been released by Tuesday evening.

In a strongly worded statement, the Communist Party of Kenya accused the Kenyan government of suppressing democratic rights to protect foreign interests. The organisation described the arrests as part of a broader pattern of political repression against progressive movements and anti-imperialist activism.

“Their only crime is standing with the oppressed. Their only crime is rejecting imperialist domination. Their only crime is declaring that Africa is not for sale,” the party said.

The party further accused the Ruto administration of acting as a “neocolonial and comprador administration” aligned with imperialist powers. The organisation called for:

• The immediate release of all detained protesters and delegates

• An end to police harassment and repression of activists

• Respect for democratic rights and political assembly

• The cancellation of what it described as imperialist agreements affecting Kenya and Africa

Political analysts say the protests highlight growing ideological divisions across Africa regarding foreign influence, sovereignty, and economic control.

While governments increasingly pursue international partnerships for development and investment, critics argue that some agreements reproduce patterns of dependency associated with colonial-era power structures. The demonstrations in Nairobi have now drawn international attention to the broader debate over Pan-Africanism, sovereignty, and the future direction of African political and economic alliances.

Nairobi anti-imperialist protest