Nairobi, July 9, 2025 The High Court has issued a significant ruling barring the police from blocking roads or preventing protesters from accessing Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) during demonstrations.
Justice Lawrence Mugambi issued the orders following a constitutional petition filed by Katiba Institute, which argued that police actions had unlawfully infringed on Kenyans’ fundamental rights to peaceful assembly and demonstration.
Appearing for the petitioners, Lawyer Joshua Nyawa told the court that the police had effectively suspended constitutional rights by routinely using excessive force and road barricades to suppress dissent.
“The Inspector General of Police is abusing the security apparatus to violently silence and punish citizens voicing their opposition both in the streets and online,” Nyawa submitted.
He warned that the Bill of Rights is at risk of being eroded, likening the current police behavior to the unconstitutional limitations witnessed during Kenya’s one-party era.
Nyawa urged the court to intervene, saying Kenyans were being subjected to unlawful police directives that directly contradict the Constitution.
In response, Justice Mugambi granted interim orders prohibiting the National Police Service from blocking public roads or denying demonstrators access into the city center, pending the hearing and determination of the full petition.
The ruling is expected to have far-reaching implications for future protests, particularly amid growing public unrest over governance and economic grievances.
