NAIROBI, Kenya- The High Court is set to rule on Thursday on an application seeking to have Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja held liable for contempt of court over roadblocks erected in Nairobi on June 25, 2026.
Katiba Institute filed the application after police officers barricaded roads leading into and within Nairobi’s Central Business District during demonstrations held on the anniversary of the 2024 anti-Finance Bill protests.
The organisation argues that the roadblocks violated an existing conservatory order requiring the police to issue advance public notice before restricting access to roads or erecting barricades.
According to Katiba Institute, police closed several roads without issuing the required notice, limiting movement into the city centre and preventing members of the public from accessing parts of Nairobi.
The lobby wants the court to find Kanja personally liable for failing to comply with the order and impose appropriate sanctions.
“The High Court is set to determine our application seeking to hold the Inspector General of Police liable for contempt of court,” Katiba Institute said in an update issued ahead of the ruling.
The Inspector-General has opposed the application and defended the security measures implemented on June 25.
Police told the court that the barricades were erected as part of measures aimed at maintaining public safety and protecting critical infrastructure during the demonstrations.
Kanja denied deliberately disobeying the court order.
The contempt proceedings arise from a case initially filed by Katiba Institute challenging police restrictions on access to Nairobi’s CBD during demonstrations.
The earlier court order restrained the police from erecting roadblocks or barricades without giving the public prior notice and identifying the affected roads and alternative routes.
Katiba Institute maintains that the June 25 closures breached those requirements and undermined the authority of the court.
Thursday’s decision will determine whether the police actions amounted to contempt and whether the Inspector-General should be held responsible.
The proceedings come amid continued scrutiny of police conduct during public demonstrations and enforcement of court orders governing road closures, freedom of movement and the right to peaceful assembly.
