Veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga is calling for weekly protests, as clashes erupted between police and supporters demonstrating over the country’s cost-of-living crisis.

Odinga had called 20 March’s demonstrations against the government of President William Ruto in protest at soaring prices of basic goods in Kenya and what he said was last year’s “stolen” election.

The opposition leader narrowly lost his fifth tilt at the presidency in the August poll despite being backed by former president Uhuru Kenyatta.

Riot police had earlier fired tear gas and water cannon on Odinga’s motorcade near a Nairobi hotel, where he had been due to hold a press conference before being forced to leave.

Running battles erupted between stone-throwing demonstrators and police in several parts of the capital and at least one other Kenyan city, in the first major unrest since Ruto became president in 2021

Kenyans are struggling as prices for basic necessities soar. The value of the shilling has dropped sharply against the US dollar and a sustained drought has left millions hungry.

Ruto has declared that he will not be intimidated by the demonstrations, saying: “You are not going to threaten us with ultimatums and chaos and impunity, reports Michael Fitzpatrick for Radio France Internationale.