NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 7 — Several youths were arrested by plainclothes police officers along Harambee Avenue on Tuesday morning after they attempted to gather near the Office of the President as security agencies enforced heightened restrictions during the Saba Saba commemorations.
The group was intercepted by non-uniformed officers stationed near Harambee House and the neighbouring Jogoo House before they could assemble.
The youths were subdued and escorted into a waiting Subaru vehicle as police prevented crowds from converging in the tightly secured executive precinct.
The arrests came as multi-agency security teams maintained an extensive security operation across Nairobi, with Parliament remaining cordoned off and checkpoints mounted on major roads leading into the Central Business District.
Police also deployed anti-riot officers, water cannons and razor-wire barricades around key government installations, while commuters and motorists underwent security screening at strategic entry points into the city.
The National Police Service had on Monday announced enhanced checkpoints across Nairobi, saying the measures were intended to prevent a repeat of the violence, looting and disruption witnessed during previous Saba Saba commemorations.
Nairobi Regional Police Commander Issa Mohamud maintained that while businesses and essential services would continue operating, access to restricted government facilities would remain subject to security screening.
“There will be restricted areas like Parliament because we don’t want intruders to go there and cause chaos. People can go about their business, but they will be allowed in after our screening,” Mohamud said.
He also warned that authorities had not sanctioned the planned demonstrations and that any unlawful gatherings would be dealt with in accordance with the law.
The heavy security deployment followed calls by civil society groups and activists to mark the historic Saba Saba anniversary with demonstrations demanding accountability over alleged extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, abductions and broader governance concerns.
Organisers insist they lawfully notified police of the planned protests, a claim disputed by law enforcement.
Despite the heightened security presence around government installations, business activity remained largely normal across much of the Central Business District by mid-morning.
Traders opened their shops, pedestrians moved freely in most commercial areas and public transport continued operating, albeit with delays caused by police checkpoints on key routes into the city, including Thika Road, Mombasa Road, Jogoo Road and Waiyaki Way.
The Matatu Owners Association said the security checks had disrupted public transport operations, leaving thousands of commuters stranded as police intensified screening across the capital ahead of the planned demonstrations.