NAIROBI, Kenya— A heavy-handed move by the government to seal off Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) ahead of planned Saba Saba protests has crippled economic activity, with traders, matatu operators, and small businesses decrying the loss as an economic disaster.
Roadblocks, police barricades, and a visible security presence kept thousands from entering the city centre on Monday.
Many businesses remained shuttered, while public transport vehicles from upcountry were forced to offload passengers as far out as Waiyaki Way, Jogoo Road, and Mombasa Road.
Based on estimates from the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) at the height of the 2023 cost of living demonstrations at the behest of the opposition, Nairobi loses approximately Sh2.5 billion in daily economic output whenever the CBD is rendered inaccessible.
Monday’s lockdown, sparked by government fears of large-scale protests, mirrored that loss, perhaps even more as e-commerce deliveries were disrupted, supply chains frozen, and public offices closed early.
“The government should have talks with the youths to quell these unrests because they continue to impact the business environment. There are no buyers because people fear for their safety,” said Duncan Karohia, a grocery vendor in Dagoretti Corner.
“We will leave early because last time our property was destroyed, and the others were confiscated.”
“People have not shown up to buy today because of the fear of the saba saba demonstrations,” added another vendor, Vein Mokua.
Financial analysts argue that the ripple effects of such lockdowns go beyond a day’s closure.
Meanwhile, on social media, many Kenyans expressed frustration, calling the lockdown an overreaction to Gen Z-led protests that have largely remained peaceful.
