POLICE BARRICADE MAJOR ROADS LEADING TO STATE HOUSE AND PARLIAMENT 

Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) remained under tight security on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, as authorities restricted access to key government offices ahead of planned protests marking the one-year anniversary of last year’s demonstrations.

Major roads leading to Parliament and State House were barricaded with razor wire, with anti-riot police stopping and questioning motorists and pedestrians attempting to approach restricted zones. Most businesses in the city remained closed, with shop owners fearing disruptions from potential protests.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, alongside Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja and Deputy Inspector General Gilbert Masengeli, conducted a security assessment across the city. The officials were seen inspecting key streets and reviewing security deployments.

Earlier, Murkomen assured the public of the government’s commitment to maintaining peace. “We are dedicated to protecting livelihoods and ensuring order,” he stated.

Police had issued warnings against accessing protected areas, including Parliament and State House. Inspector General Kanja emphasised that while the Constitution guarantees the right to peaceful assembly, unauthorised entry into restricted zones would not be tolerated. “The Constitution, under Article 37, guarantees every person the right, peaceably and unarmed, to assemble, to demonstrate, to picket, and to present petitions to public authorities,” Kanja said. “However, unauthorised persons must refrain from accessing protected areas under the Protected Areas Act.”

Despite the heavy police presence, some motorists complained of being turned away from major roads. Authorities maintained that the measures were necessary to prevent unrest. “We will ensure both demonstrators and non-demonstrators are protected,” a police spokesperson said, reiterating that security forces remained on high alert. As the day progressed, movement in the city remained limited, with many opting to stay away from the CBD amid the heightened tensions.