NAIROBI, Kenya – Police fired tear gas into the air to disperse groups of protesters gathered near Nairobi’s City Stadium on Monday, as authorities moved to lock down the capital ahead of anticipated Saba Saba demonstrations.
Security forces sealed off all major entry points into Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD), creating a ghost-town effect in the usually bustling city centre.
Most businesses remained shuttered and public transportation was paralysed as police maintained a heavy presence along key routes, including Mombasa Road, Waiyaki Way, Thika Road, Jogoo Road, and Uhuru Highway.
At the City Stadium Roundabout, officers engaged youths who attempted to march in commemoration of Saba Saba Day—an annual day marking the July 7, 1990 uprising that forced the return of multi-party democracy in Kenya.
Police responded with tear gas and warning shots to scatter the crowd, which had gathered in defiance of a state crackdown on demonstrations.
Unrest Spreads to Satellite Towns
Outside Nairobi, protests flared in Kitengela, Kajiado County, where Gen Z demonstrators lit bonfires and blocked the Nairobi–Namanga Highway, bringing traffic to a halt.
Police moved in swiftly with tear gas and water cannons, backed by reinforcements from the General Service Unit (GSU).
Similar scenes were reported on Thika Road, where demonstrators were repelled by police at Roysambu.
In Ngong town, sporadic demonstrations were reported as youth attempted to join the National Day of Action.
In contrast, Athi River remained calm, with businesses operating normally and no major incidents reported.
Chants of #RutoMustGo and “Mwizi!” echoed through Ngong town as #SabaSaba2025 protesters, undeterred by heavy police presence, took to the streets on Monday.
Capital on Edge Amid Crackdown
In Nairobi CBD, police arrested several boda boda riders accused of ferrying protesters into the city.
Officers were seen patrolling on foot and in trucks, with barricades still mounted along access roads into the heart of the city.
Despite official statements assuring free movement, eyewitness reports suggested tight restrictions on vehicular traffic, with only emergency and government vehicles allowed past checkpoints.
The heightened security comes in the wake of deadly anti-government protests in June, which left dozens dead and scores of businesses looted or destroyed.
The demonstrations—largely youth-led—were sparked by frustrations over the cost of living, alleged corruption, and cases of police brutality.
This year’s Saba Saba, once a solemn remembrance of Kenya’s hard-fought democracy, has morphed into a broader symbol of resistance for a new generation of protesters demanding transparency, justice, and reforms.
