Deputy Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja Masengeli has assured the public that no one has been barred from accessing Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) ahead of the planned Saba Saba protests.
Speaking on Sunday while patrolling the CBD alongside senior police officers, Masengeli urged Kenyans to continue with their daily routines, emphasizing that security within the city was under control.
“We have been here, and everybody is allowed to enter the CBD. People are also reporting to work as usual,” he told journalists at the University Way roundabout.
The Deputy IG also appealed to those intending to take part in the Saba Saba demonstrations to do so peacefully and within the confines of the law.
“I urge everyone to keep peace and confine themselves within the rule of the law,” he said.
Despite the reassurance, there was visibly reduced activity within the CBD as police officers heightened their presence in key areas. The security measures are aimed at safeguarding businesses and preventing any potential violence, destruction of property, or disruption of services.
The National Police Service issued a warning earlier, stating that any acts of looting, vandalism, blocking of roads, or provocation of officers tasked with maintaining order would be met with firm and lawful action.
Saba Saba, historically a day of political activism in Kenya, has in recent years become a platform for citizens and civil society groups to voice grievances. Authorities are now walking a tightrope between allowing peaceful assembly and preventing possible chaos in the capital.
Written By Ian Maleve
