Kenya: Police Block Nairobi Streets Over Planned Protest Anniversary

According to Kenya Times, by 6:40 a.m., police had mounted roadblocks on several major roads in Nairobi, including Thika Road, Kiambu Road, Jogoo Road, Outering Road, routes to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, and several access points into the CBD, with matatus reportedly blocked from entering via Lang'ata Road and Mombasa Road as well. The outlet also reported that police blocked access at the Bunyala Roundabout and halted long-distance buses at Uthiru 87 Junction, preventing them from entering the city center. At the same time, streets within the CBD remained largely deserted as Kenyans exercised caution ahead of the planned demonstrations.

People Daily reports similarly disruptive scenes, noting that transport services were thrown into disarray on the morning of June 25 after police sealed major entry points into the CBD, stranding hundreds of commuters and forcing many to seek alternative travel. The outlet said several long-distance bus operators, including Guardian Bus Services, suspended travel to and from Nairobi amid concerns over the demonstrations, and that outbound traffic at Githurai was blocked, causing major congestion along Thika Road. Despite the lockdown, People Daily noted that Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen had assured the public on Wednesday that the day would remain a normal working and school day.

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Two years ago, on June 25, youth-led demonstrators stormed Parliament to oppose a contentious Finance Bill, an episode that left dozens dead nationwide and more than 120 dead in subsequent crackdowns. Last year's first anniversary alone saw at least 16 deaths and over 400 injuries.

Gen Z activists, civil society groups, opposition politicians, and victims' families called the day a "Justice for Our Shujaas" memorial, with marches to Parliament to lay flowers and demand accountability.

President William Ruto urged Kenyans to continue normal activity, warning that any mobilization "to destroy property or cause chaos" would not be tolerated. His government has also tried to defuse anger with a roughly $15 million compensation fund for 1,100 people affected by political violence between 2017 and 2025 - a gesture some victims' relatives describe as an attempt to buy silence rather than deliver accountability.

The anniversary protests follow weeks of unrelated tension, including deadly clashes in Nanyuki earlier in June over a planned U.S.-backed Ebola quarantine facility, and a women-led march in Nairobi demanding the government declare gender-based violence a national crisis.

Nairobi's streets were described as largely empty on Thursday morning, with police maintaining a heavy presence across the city.

Kenya woke to barricaded roads and a near-deserted capital on Thursday as the country marked the second anniversary of the 2024 anti-Finance Bill protests, with police sealing off major routes into Nairobi's Central Business District hours before planned commemorations.According to Kenya Times, by 6:40 a.m., police had mounted roadblocks on several major roads in Nairobi, including Thika Road, Kiambu Road, Jogoo Road, Outering Road, routes to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, and several access points into the CBD, with matatus reportedly blocked from entering via Lang'ata Road and Mombasa Road as well. The outlet also reported that police blocked access through the Bunyala Roundabout and halted long-distance buses at Uthiru 87 Junction, preventing them from proceeding into the city center, while streets within the CBD remained largely deserted as Kenyans exercised caution ahead of the planned demonstrations.People Daily reports similarly disruptive scenes, noting that transport services were thrown into disarray on the morning of June 25 after police sealed major entry points into the CBD, stranding hundreds of commuters and forcing many to seek alternative travel. The outlet said several long-distance bus operators, including Guardian Bus Services, suspended travel to and from Nairobi amid concerns over the demonstrations, and that outbound traffic at Githurai was blocked, causing major congestion along Thika Road. Despite the lockdown, People Daily noted that Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen had assured the public on Wednesday that the day would remain a normal working and school day.Two years ago on June 25, youth-led demonstrators stormed Parliament to oppose a contentious Finance Bill, an episode that left dozens dead nationwide and more than 120 dead in subsequent crackdowns. Last year's first anniversary alone saw at least 16 deaths and over 400 injuries.Organizers this year — Gen Z activists, civil society groups, opposition politicians, and victims' families — billed the day as a "Justice for Our Shujaas" memorial, with marches to Parliament to lay flowers and demand accountability.President William Ruto urged Kenyans to continue normal activity, warning that any mobilization "to destroy property or cause chaos" would not be tolerated. His government has also tried to defuse anger with a roughly $15 million compensation fund for 1,100 people affected by political violence between 2017 and 2025 — a gesture some victims' relatives dismissed as an attempt to buy silence rather than deliver accountability.The anniversary protests follow weeks of unrelated tension, including deadly clashes in Nanyuki earlier in June over a planned U.S.-backed Ebola quarantine facility, and a women-led march in Nairobi demanding the government declare gender-based violence a national crisis.As of Thursday morning, Nairobi's streets were described as largely empty, with police maintaining a heavy presence across the city.

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