Police Tighten Security Across Nairobi as Kenya Marks Saba Saba Day
He said the checkpoints were intended to regulate pedestrian and vehicular movement while preventing criminal activity and protecting lives and property.
Photo: Courtesy.
By Robert Mutasi
The National Police Service (NPS) stepped up security operations across Nairobi on Monday, mounting dozens of checkpoints on major roads as Kenya marked the annual Saba Saba commemoration amid expectations of demonstrations in the capital.
The enhanced security measures saw police officers deployed along key entry points into the city, with motorists, motorcyclists and pedestrians subjected to security screening. Roads leading to Nairobi’s central business district, Parliament and State House experienced the heaviest police presence as authorities sought to maintain public order.
Additional security personnel were also deployed to major towns and transport corridors, including Kitengela, Mlolongo, Rongai, Githurai and Waiyaki Way, where officers conducted vehicle inspections and increased patrols.
In a statement, Police Spokesperson Michael Muchiri said the security operation was informed by previous Saba Saba commemorations, some of which turned violent and disrupted businesses and public life.
“The National Police Service wishes to inform all members of the public that, in light of past experience during the Saba Saba commemoration, some members of the public have caused breaches of the peace, thereby interfering with the normal conduct of business for those not participating in the demonstrations,” Muchiri said.
He said the checkpoints were intended to regulate pedestrian and vehicular movement while preventing criminal activity and protecting lives and property.
Police also urged the public to cooperate with officers and comply with security directives throughout the day. Authorities warned that anyone found engaging in unlawful activities would face legal action.
Despite the heightened security, some motorists and commuters complained of delays, harassment and inconvenience as officers inspected vehicles entering the city.
Several areas within Nairobi’s central business district were also designated as restricted zones, with access controlled by security officers.
Nairobi Regional Police Commander Issa Mohamud maintained that Monday remained a normal working day and assured residents that security agencies had the situation under control.
Speaking after meeting senior police commanders, Mohamud said no individual or group had formally notified police of plans to stage demonstrations in Nairobi, warning that gatherings held without the legally required notification would be considered unlawful.
“Today is a normal working day, and public transport will not be affected, although there will be screening of vehicles entering the city. Of course we must do screening,” Mohamud said.
“There will be no problem at all. The day will be a normal working day,” he added.
His remarks came amid heightened public attention over planned Saba Saba demonstrations, which traditionally attract activists, civil society organizations and opposition supporters calling for governance reforms and greater accountability.
However, a Nairobi-based lobby group, the Grassroots Economic Justice Movement, said it had formally notified Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, Nairobi Regional Police Commander Issa Mohamud and the Officer Commanding Central Police Station of its intention to hold peaceful demonstrations.
According to the notice, the group expects between 1,000 and 3,000 participants to march from Jeevanjee Gardens to Parliament Buildings, where they intend to present a petition demanding parliamentary intervention over alleged extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and the excessive use of force by security agencies.
The organization said volunteer marshals would accompany demonstrators to help maintain order and ensure the procession remained peaceful.
Saba Saba, observed annually on July 7, commemorates the historic pro-democracy movement that pushed for the restoration of multiparty democracy in Kenya during the early 1990s. Over the years, the anniversary has evolved into a platform for citizens and civil society groups to raise concerns over governance, economic challenges and human rights.
Security agencies have traditionally deployed additional officers during the commemoration, citing the need to prevent violence, protect businesses and ensure public safety while balancing the constitutional rights of Kenyans to assemble and demonstrate peacefully.
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