Deputy Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli has denied claims that security officers are blocking Kenyans from accessing Nairobi’s Central Business District, even as heavy police presence and roadblocks paralysed normal movement across the capital on Monday morning.

Addressing a press briefing on July 7, Masengeli insisted that the city remained open and urged Kenyans to go about their business, saying that the right to protest must be exercised within the law.

“Everyone is getting to work without any issues. No one is being turned away,” Masengeli asserted. “We urge citizens to ensure any protests remain peaceful and lawful.”

However, the situation on the ground painted a different picture. Major entry routes into the CBD, including Waiyaki Way, Thika Road, Mombasa Road, Jogoo Road, Kenyatta Avenue, Kiambu Road, Uhuru Highway, and Valley Road, experienced major traffic jams as police set up barricades and subjected all vehicles to thorough checks.

Many public service and private vehicles were denied entry, with only emergency and government cars allowed past some of the roadblocks.

The checkpoints forced commuters to walk long distances, with some reporting being stranded after public transport vehicles were blocked from entering the city.

“I was forced to walk from Westlands to the CBD because there was no public transport allowed past the barriers,” said one hospitality worker, echoing the frustration of many city residents.

Businesses in the city centre either remained shut or reinforced their entrances with metal grills, anticipating possible protests, unrest, or looting.

At one checkpoint, a police officer told journalists they had instructions to restrict vehicular access into the CBD, contradicting official statements from police headquarters. Although cars and buses were being stopped, pedestrians were largely allowed to continue on foot without interference.

The tight security measures were rolled out ahead of this year’s Saba Saba Day protests, which are being driven by a new generation of youth activists under the banner of Generation Z. The movement gained momentum during the anti-Finance Bill protests in June 2024 and has since shifted focus to issues such as police brutality, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and state accountability.

Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku had earlier dismissed social media rumours suggesting that the government had declared a public holiday on July 7. He stated that all public servants were expected to report to work as usual.

Meanwhile, there were reports that some youth travelling from Mombasa to Nairobi for the protests had been blocked by security officers. Kenya Railways also suspended its Madaraka Express passenger train from Mombasa to Nairobi on Sunday night, citing technical difficulties. The move sparked speculation that it was part of efforts to limit protester movement.

The National Police Service had on Sunday evening issued a stern warning to protest organisers, cautioning them against breaching security zones. Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, speaking from Meru, urged police officers to be firm on lawbreakers while treating peaceful protesters with restraint.

“Police must be gentle with citizens but ruthless with those destroying property or looting,” Murkomen said.

By midday Monday, Nairobi remained calm but tense. No major clashes had been reported, though civil society organisations were closely watching police operations and monitoring for possible violations of protest rights.

While Masengeli assured the public that the police were not interfering with movement, critics pointed to the visible security disruptions as evidence of a state effort to restrict civic mobilisation. With the city under close watch and tension still in the air, questions linger over how the government intends to balance national security with the right to protest.