Around 100 protesters hurled rocks at police in a poor neighbourhood of Nairobi on Wednesday as three days of demonstrations against the cost of living and tax hikes kicked off in Kenya.
Protesters burned tires in the Kibera neighbourhood, often a flashpoint for stand-offs with security forces, and were met with volleys of tear gas by police.
According to Reuters, the city centre was largely deserted with many businesses closed, and police erected checkpoints on roads leading to the State House.
Schools in the capital and two other areas were also closed down by the Kenya government.
The Nation newspaper reported that police arrested suspected protesters in Homa Bay in the west of the country.
Two rounds of protests earlier this month descended into violence when police fired tear gas, and in some cases live rounds, at the crowds.
At least 15 people were killed and hundreds were arrested.
Kenya's opposition called for the protests in part because of tax hikes passed last month by the government of President William Ruto was elected last August after pledging to champion the interests of the poor. However, he has seen the prices of basic commodities balloon under his administration.
The government says the fuel and housing levies, which are expected to raise an extra 200 billion shillings ($1.4 billion) a year, are needed to help deal with growing debt repayments and to fund job-creation initiatives.
Churches and civil rights groups have called for Ruto and veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga to resolve their differences through dialogue and call off the protests.
Odinga has failed to win the last five presidential votes but has secured senior positions in government in the past by making deals with those in power following spasms of unrest.
On Friday Ruto accused Odinga of attempting to leverage discontent over the state of the economy to attain personal political goals.