NAIROBI, Kenya — Nairobi police have warned against what they termed “illegal” protests in the Central Business District ahead of planned demonstrations on Tuesday, April 21, even as tensions rise over the high cost of living and fuel prices.
Nairobi Regional Police Commander Issa Mohamud said while the Constitution guarantees the right to peaceful assembly, organisers must comply with legal requirements, including notifying authorities in advance.
“While the Constitution allows peaceful demonstrations, they must strictly adhere to the law,” Mohamud said during a press briefing on Friday, adding that police had not received formal notification from organisers.
He urged protest planners to engage law enforcement to enable coordination and ensure public safety during any demonstrations within the city.
The warning comes amid growing calls for protests over rising fuel prices and the broader cost of living crisis, with many Kenyans citing increased transport, food, and basic commodity costs as unsustainable.
Despite the caution from authorities, some organisers and members of the public have indicated that demonstrations will proceed, arguing that the economic situation demands urgent action.
Others have accused the administration of President William Ruto of attempting to suppress dissent, insisting that citizens have a constitutional right to express grievances.
The planned protests follow a seven-day ultimatum issued by opposition leaders, led by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who demanded immediate government intervention to address fuel prices and related economic pressures.
Speaking earlier this week, Gachagua called on National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula to convene a special sitting of Parliament to debate and potentially scrap the government-to-government (G-to-G) fuel import arrangement, which the opposition blames for recent price increases.
He also proposed redirecting funds from the National Infrastructure Fund—financed through the sale of state assets—to cushion Kenyans from what he termed a historic rise in fuel costs.
In response, President Ruto dismissed the effectiveness of protests as a solution to global fuel price dynamics.
“Some people are now claiming that since fuel prices have increased globally, they are going to hold protests. Do you think protests will make fuel prices come down?” Ruto said during a rally in Kisii County.
The standoff sets the stage for a potential clash between demonstrators and authorities, testing the balance between constitutional freedoms under Article 37—which guarantees the right to assemble, demonstrate, and picket—and public order regulations governing such gatherings.
