Tension gripped Nairobi on Thursday morning after anti-riot police mounted roadblocks on major routes leading into the Central Business District (CBD), effectively restricting access ahead of planned demonstrations commemorating the first anniversary of the June 25, 2024 anti-government protests.
The heavy security deployment came despite earlier assurances from the government that Thursday would remain a normal working and school day, with authorities pledging to facilitate peaceful demonstrations in accordance with the Constitution.
By dawn, police had blocked sections of Magadi Road, feeder roads along Thika Super Highway, Kiambu Road, Mombasa Road, the Nairobi-Namanga Highway at Athi River, as well as key city routes including Kenyatta Avenue, Waiyaki Way and Jogoo Road.
The closures caused massive traffic congestion, leaving thousands of commuters stranded as motorists and pedestrians were prevented from accessing the city centre. Many complained of being trapped in lengthy traffic jams with no alternative routes available.
Police officers stationed at various roadblocks said they were acting on instructions to restrict access for security reasons, citing the need to protect lives and property during the planned demonstrations.
The measures heightened tensions ahead of nationwide commemorations organized by Gen Z activists, opposition supporters and civil society groups to honour victims of the 2024 protests, which left scores dead and hundreds injured during clashes with security forces.
Earlier, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen had reiterated the government’s commitment to safeguarding the constitutional right to peaceful assembly and demonstration.
“The Government respects the constitutional rights of all Kenyans to peaceably assemble for whatever reason, on any day,” Murkomen said in a statement on Wednesday, noting that police had received notifications from organizers and would provide security and guidance during the demonstrations.
He urged protesters to remain peaceful and unarmed while warning that authorities would act firmly against individuals seeking to infiltrate demonstrations to engage in violence, looting or destruction of property.
Murkomen also revealed that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) had launched investigations into reports of individuals allegedly organizing and financing violent activities ahead of the protests.
“The Government will deal decisively, and in accordance with the law, with any individuals or groups seeking to exploit legitimate protests to cause chaos, engage in looting, destroy property, disrupt businesses, or commit any other criminal acts,” he said.
The Cabinet Secretary further dismissed allegations that the government was working with criminal gangs to disrupt demonstrations, insisting that law enforcement officers had been instructed to deal with criminal elements “without fear or favour.”
The June 25 commemorations come amid lingering public anger over the deaths and injuries recorded during last year’s anti-government protests, despite government efforts to compensate affected families. Authorities have so far paid Sh448.7 million to 348 beneficiaries, including Sh3 million each to the families of 115 people who lost their lives during the demonstrations.
Civil society groups had planned memorial activities and vigils across the country to honour those killed during the protests, while security agencies maintained heightened vigilance in anticipation of large crowds.
As the day unfolded, the extensive police roadblocks and restrictions on movement appeared at odds with official assurances that schools, businesses and public services would operate normally, setting the stage for potential confrontations between demonstrators and security forces.
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