Kenyan police restrict access to Nairobi city centre ahead of planned anti-government protests

Record ID: 1987442

  • Title: Kenyan police restrict access to Nairobi city centre ahead of planned anti-government protests
  • Date: 7th July 2025
  • Summary: NAIROBI, KENYA (JULY 7, 2025) (REUTERS) POLICE VEHICLE PARKED ACROSS THE ROAD / POLICE IN ANTI-RIOT GEAR STANDING NEAR THE VEHICLE TWO MÉDECINS SANS FRONTIÈRES (MSF) AMBULANCES STOPPED BY POLICE OFFICERS / MSF STAFF STANDING OUTSIDE THE AMBULANCE POLICE IN ANTI-RIOT GEAR SEARCHING AN MÉDECINS SANS FRONTIÈRES AMBULANCE VARIOUS OF EMPTY STREETS IN NAIROBI CITY CENTRE SECURIT
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: East Africa History anniversary anti-government democracy kenya nairobi politics president ruto protests sabasaba security unrest
  • Location: NAIROBI, KENYA
  • City: NAIROBI, KENYA
  • Country: Kenya
  • Topics: Africa,Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
  • Reuters ID: LVA001780907072025RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Police in Kenya sealed off roads leading into Nairobi’s city centre on Monday (July 7), forcing many commuters to turn back. Officers in anti-riot gear were deployed near government buildings including Parliament and State House and at key intersections, effectively cutting off access to the central business district. Shops remained closed and streets were mostly empty, giving the capital an unusually quiet atmosphere.
    The security clampdown comes ahead of planned anti-government protests, timed to coincide with the anniversary of the Saba Saba (seven-seven) demonstrations, a landmark 1990 rally that helped pave the way for multiparty democracy in Kenya.
    As with the protests seen in June, Monday’s planned demonstrations have no central organizers. Instead, mobilization has spread organically through social media platforms, particularly among younger Kenyans.
    The July 7 protests follow a tense month of unrest in June, when weekly demonstrations erupted after the death of 31-year-old blogger and teacher Albert Ojwang while in police custody. His death sparked outrage and renewed scrutiny of police conduct. Human rights groups have since accused authorities of using excessive force, arbitrary arrests, and intimidation to suppress dissent.
    On June 25, the government described protests marking the one-year anniversary of anti-government demonstrations as an “attempted coup", defending police deployments as necessary to maintain order and protect property.
    (Production: Edwin Waita, Jefferson Kahinju, Raquel Muigai, Angela Ukomadu)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2025. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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