MOMBASA, Kenya- Hundreds of young Kenyans returning from the Summer Tides Festival in Diani were on Sunday, July 6, blocked by police officers at the Dongo Kundu Bypass near Likoni, Mombasa, in what rights activists are calling a blatant violation of the constitutional right to free movement.
The youth, mostly from Nairobi, were headed to catch the 2 p.m. Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) train back to the capital when their journey was abruptly halted by security officers.
According to human rights defender Hussein Khalid, the officers claimed the move was meant to prevent the youth from participating in the planned Saba Saba Day protests on Monday, July 7.
“Now police are curtailing freedom of movement! Nkt!” Khalid posted in disbelief on X, formerly Twitter.
“They have been stopped by police who are saying if allowed to proceed, the youth will go to Nairobi and attend Saba Saba protests. The police have refused to release them, saying they are awaiting ‘orders from above’. This is absolute madness!”
A video shared by Khalid showed frustrated young people stranded in the sweltering Mombasa heat, while traffic built up behind them along the busy highway.
Many had planned their return journey meticulously, only to miss their train and face uncertainty about when—or if—they would be allowed to proceed.
Watu walienda Diani Summertide Festival,Have been stopped at Dongo Kundu Bypass by D materials,Claiming that if they are allowed to travel back to Nairobi they will take part in #SabaSabaRevolutionDay .What happened to freedom of movement?The murderous regime is tensed
A New Low for Civil Liberties
The roadblock has sparked outrage among rights groups and concerned Kenyans online, with many accusing the government of taking a dangerously authoritarian path.
Legal experts have pointed out that freedom of movement is enshrined in Article 39 of the Kenyan Constitution, and that blocking citizens based on perceived political intentions is unlawful.
“What we are witnessing is the criminalization of dissent,” said a Nairobi-based lawyer familiar with the matter. “You cannot stop people from travelling because you think they might protest. This is pure overreach.”
The Saba Saba Day protest, named after the original July 7, 1990 demonstration that pushed for multi-party democracy, has evolved into a modern expression of civic resistance—this time largely led by Gen Z and Millennial Kenyans.
Their demands are varied but clear: accountability, end to police brutality, responsible governance, and a voice in shaping the nation’s future.
Escalating Tensions Ahead of Monday
The Mombasa incident came just hours before another shocking development in Nairobi, where armed goons stormed the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) offices to disrupt a press conference by mothers whose children were victims of police violence.
The attackers, believed to be acting on political orders, accused the grieving mothers of organizing Monday’s protest.
Yet the mothers, under the umbrella of the Social Justice Centres Working Group, were simply pleading with authorities to refrain from harming peaceful protesters.
“We are not planning violence,” one of the mothers said through tears. “We just want to remind the government that our children have a right to come back home alive.”
Government Maintains Hardline Stance
Despite the rising tension and outcry, the government insists Monday will be a normal workday.
Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku, speaking during an event in Embu, warned civil servants against skipping work to participate in the protests, promising dire consequences for those who do.
His remarks, coupled with police actions across the country, point to a deliberate clampdown on dissent—an approach that has only fuelled more determination among Kenya’s youth.
“We are not criminals. We are patriots,” a protester told Y News anonymously. “This is about reclaiming our future.”
Multiple schools have asked parents to stay with their children at home until Tuesday.
