The Congolese detainees managed to share pictures
NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenyan police arrested more than 300 Congolese nationals in Nairobi on Tuesday after crowds gathered to welcome President Félix Tshisekedi during his visit to Kenya.
The arrests unfolded late Tuesday afternoon near the Nairobi Marriott Hotel, where members of the Congolese diaspora had assembled ahead of the Congolese president’s arrival.
Tshisekedi was in Kenya for the France-Africa summit hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and Kenya’s William Ruto.
Witnesses said the atmosphere had initially been festive, with some supporters wearing shirts bearing Tshisekedi’s image, beating drums and chanting in anticipation of the presidential delegation.
But the gathering descended into confusion after heavy rain forced many of the supporters to seek shelter inside a nearby restaurant.
Witnesses said Kenyan security forces then moved into the area in pickup trucks and police vehicles, surrounding the premises before carrying out mass arrests.
By Tuesday evening, more than 300 people had been detained, according to preliminary estimates shared by members of the Congolese community.
Some detainees were taken to Parklands Police Station, while others were reportedly transferred to detention facilities elsewhere in Nairobi.
Those arrested included students and women who said they had traveled only to welcome the Congolese leader.
Several detainees, speaking from custody through phone calls and social media messages, described the operation as arbitrary and denied accusations that they had disrupted public order.
The arrests came during a closely watched visit by Tshisekedi to Kenya at a time of heightened regional tensions surrounding the conflict in eastern Congo, where Kinshasa continues to blame regional neighbors of backing the M23 rebel group — an allegation they deny.
By late Tuesday, there had been no official statement from Kenyan authorities explaining the arrests or outlining possible charges against those detained.
Members of the Congolese diaspora called on DR Congo’s embassy in Nairobi and the Foreign Ministry in Kinshasa to intervene and secure their release.
