Kenya’s High Court has issued conservatory orders barring Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja from setting up roadblocks within Nairobi’s Central Business District during public protests.
The order came after an urgent petition filed by the Katiba Institute, a constitutional watchdog, which accused the police of abusing their powers by barricading roads and restricting peaceful demonstrators from accessing the city center.
The court ruled that such actions amounted to an unlawful limitation of constitutional rights, particularly Articles 37 and 39, which guarantee freedom of assembly and movement.
“The Inspector General of Police is abusing the security agency to violently silence and punish citizens voicing opposition,” the petitioner argued, adding that the roadblocks, which appeared without public notice, created a “police state atmosphere” in the capital.
In the petition, the Katiba Institute pointed to recent protests where demonstrators were met with heavy police presence, barbed wire, and metal barricades across key entry points into the CBD.
Court Orders to Police
The institute further argued that despite legal notice being given to police, officers had failed to provide public notifications of road closures as required by law.
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The court sitting in Nairobi, directed the National Police Service to refrain from cancelling, disrupting or interfering in any way with the right to assemble, protest, or picket while peaceful and unarmed.
The court also ordered the immediate removal of barricades and police blocks from the city center unless they served to protect specific sensitive areas under a limited perimeter.
This is not the first time the High Court has pushed back against efforts to restrict protests.
In a February 2025 judgment, the court invalidated a similar ban on demonstrations in the CBD and held that the police cannot limit rights without due process, including consultation with stakeholders or obtaining court approval.
The Attorney General and Inspector General were listed as respondents in the matter.
The ruling comes amid growing public discontent and a wave of anti-government protests across Kenya, where demonstrators are demanding political reforms, accountability, and economic relief.
Murkomen on Roadblocks
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen commended police officers for maintaining security across the country during Monday’s demonstrations marking the 35th anniversary of the 1990 Sabasaba protest.
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After touring several areas in Nairobi, Murkomen took to his X account to express gratitude to the officers on duty. He praised their efforts in safeguarding public and private property during what he described as a tense and potentially volatile day.
“This evening, I visited different parts of Nairobi to personally thank our law enforcement officers for their commitment to public safety and protection of property,” he wrote.
Although the protests were expected to be peaceful, the day began with a strong presence of anti-riot police and several unexpected roadblocks, disrupting normal activity in parts of the city.
Major access roads into Nairobi’s CBD, including Thika Road, Jogoo Road, Mombasa Road, Ngong Road, and Waiyaki Way were either closed or heavily controlled, leaving many commuters and motorists unable to reach their destinations.
Addressing the disruption, Murkomen said the heightened security measures, while inconvenient, were put in place to prevent any criminal elements from exploiting the protests.
“We regret the inconvenience caused by today’s security measures, but they were necessary to ensure the safety of our citizens and to protect property and businesses,” he stated.
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