Posted by: John Phoenix
The fragility of Anglo-French imperialism is revealed when it’s compelled to violently quash a peaceful anti-imperialist march and arrest local and international demonstrators.
The Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist-Leninist) condemns the assault and arrest of people attending the peaceful demonstration against imperialism today in Nairobi, including our Chair Joti Brar, and demands their immediate release. The demonstrators attended the World Anti-imperialist Platform and on 11 May the delegation also participated in the Counter Africa-France Summit organised by PASAI. Both included local anti-imperialists and international delegates.
Those detained include Lee Sang-hun, former representative of the People’s Democracy Party of south Korea; Joti Brar, Chair of the Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist-Leninist); Dimitris Patelis, founding member of the Revolutionary Theory Group of Greece; and Song Danbi, director of the International Department of the People’s Democracy Party of south Korea. All are members of the delegation of the World Anti-imperialist Platform.
Kenyan police, doing the work of their Anglo-French imperialist masters, brutally attacked the peaceful demonstration protesting the Africa-France “Africa Forward” summit being held in Nairobi today and arrested many of the attendees.
The demonstration route was agreed beforehand with the police and was not allowed to go near the venue for the French imperialist summit. The demonstration instead headed towards the statue of Dedan Kimathi, leader of the Mau Mau movement that fought against British colonial rule.
After 30 minutes of peaceful marching police cars began arriving, and the police started to tear down the demonstration’s banners. As the protestors continued marching, police then fired tear gas and flash bang grenades at the demonstration. After the assault had died down the police swarmed in and took people away at gunpoint.
The Kenyan comprador regime reflects the fear and weakness of their imperialist masters, unable to tolerate even peaceful political opposition. They meet the truth with censorship, repression, and lies, and they meet unarmed people with tear gas, guns, and batons.
Their efforts are in vain and their wanton repression will only accelerate the demands for justice, peace, and dignity from working people.
We call for the immediate release of the activists detained on 12 May who are only guilty of peaceful dialogue and protest:
- Dimitiros Patelis – Greece
- Lee Sanghun – south Korea
- Song Danbi – south Korea
- Joti Brar – Britain
- Gacheke Gachihi – Kenya
- Guy Bremond – France
- Sayialel Mankuyio – Kenya
- Juliaus Kamau – Kenya
- John Kamau – Kenya
- Brian Mwanzi – Kenya
- Derivk Opiyo – Kenya
- Fredrik Yara – Kenya
- Colins Otieno – Kenya
And to drop the charges of “unlawful assembly” for the 5 students arrested on 11 May:
- Beres Omondi – Kenya
- Tracy Auma – Kenya
- Patience Nyambura – Kenya
- Jobunga Samuel – Kenya
- Kenneth Obiero – Kenya
Long live the international solidarity of workers and peasants!
We reproduce below the statements of the Communist Party Marxist – Kenya (CPMK) and the World Anti-imperialist Platform.
Statement on the arrest of anti-imperialist comrades in Nairobi
The Central Organising Committee of the Communist Party Marxist – Kenya (CPMK) strongly condemns the arrests, intimidation and harassment carried out by the Kenyan state against local and international comrades who participated in the anti-French imperialism demonstration and the counter summit held in Nairobi against the so-called Africa Forward Summit.
These arrests expose the true character of the Ruto regime as a neocolonial and comprador administration acting in defence of imperialist interests against the democratic rights of the people. The regime has chosen to criminalise anti-imperialist solidarity while rolling out the red carpet for foreign exploiters and agents of monopoly capital.
Among those arrested are distinguished anti-imperialist and revolutionary activists, intellectuals and organisers from different parts of the world who came to stand in solidarity with the struggling masses of Africa against imperialism, militarisation and neocolonial domination.
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 arrest of international delegates further demonstrates the growing panic within imperialist and comprador circles. They fear the unity of revolutionary and progressive forces across continents. They fear international solidarity against imperialism. They fear a politically conscious people.
We remind the Ruto regime that repression has never defeated the people’s struggle. Colonial detention camps did not defeat the liberation movement. Moi’s anticommunist repression did not defeat the struggle for democratic rights. Fascist laws and police terror will not silence the masses today.
As Kwame Nkrumah taught us, the independence of Africa is meaningless unless it is linked with the total liberation of the continent from imperialism and neocolonialism.
We therefore demand:
- The immediate and unconditional release of all arrested comrades.
- An end to police harassment, abductions and repression against activists, organisers and progressive movements.
- The immediate halt to all imperialist military, political and economic agreements being imposed upon Kenya and Africa.
- Respect for the democratic rights of all participants attending anti-imperialist and Pan African gatherings.
The Communist Party Marxist – Kenya reaffirms its unwavering solidarity with all arrested comrades. An injury to one is an injury to all. The struggle against imperialism is international, and no amount of repression shall defeat the organised masses of the people.
Forward ever in the struggle against imperialism!Forward ever in international solidarity!
Victory belongs to the workers and peasants!
The Ruto government of Kenya must immediately release Brar, Patelis, Lee!
Members of the World Anti-imperialist Platform delegation and international progressive activists have been violently detained by the fascist Ruto regime of Kenya. Among the 13 people detained are Lee Sang-hun, former representative of the People’s Democracy Party; Joti Brar, representative of the Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist-Leninist); Dimitrios Patelis, founding member of the Revolutionary Theory Group of Greece; and Song Dan-bi, director of the International Department of the People’s Democracy Party, along with other members of the World Anti-imperialist Platform delegation.
The Kenyan fascist authorities illegally and violently suppressed the lawful rally and march of the World Anti-imperialist Platform opposing the “Africa Forward Summit (Africa-France Summit)” by deploying the military and fascistically detaining our comrades. We strongly condemn the fascist Ruto regime and the imperialist forces of repression standing behind it.
The “Africa Forward Summit” is a place for schemes of aggression that opens another runway for imperialist penetration into Africa. In 2024, US imperialism designated Kenya as a major non-Nato ally, reducing it to a bridgehead for aggression in Africa. Under subordination to the IMF system, the exploitation and plunder of the Kenyan people continue to deepen.
British imperialist troops stationed in Kenya have committed numerous acts of murder, violence, and illegality. In addition, French imperialist forces, expelled from the three Sahel states of Africa, are turning Kenya into a new base for the domination of the African continent. Opposing the “Africa Forward Summit”, which accelerates imperialist domination and plunder of Africa through Kenya as a lever, is justice; suppressing such opposition is injustice.
Imperialism and fascism must be brought to an end without delay. Since June 2024, the fascist Ruto regime has carried out murderous repression against mass anti-IMF and anti-neoliberal demonstrations, resulting in the deaths of more than 130 people publicly confirmed, while hundreds more have been killed or disappeared. In particular, for months before the “Africa-France Summit”, the regime carried out vicious terror, violence, illegal detentions, and torture against progressive forces in Kenya, concentrating especially on CPMK General Secretary Booker Omole.
Today, as World War 3 intensifies, every battlefield confirms that fascist forces serve as agents of imperialist aggression. As long as imperialism and fascism exist, there can be neither freedom nor peace. The World Anti-imperialist Platform will strengthen and expand the global anti-imperialist front and struggle, bring imperialism and fascism to an end, and hasten the liberation of the world through independence and lasting peace.
Release all arrested activists immediately!Release the World Anti-imperialist Platform delegation immediately!
Stop fascist repression against the progressive movement immediately!
May 12, 2026
World Anti-imperialist Platform