The Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) will be off-limits for protests following a ban announced by Acting Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja. This comes after weeks of youth-led demonstrations against the government.
Kanja cited safety concerns as the reason for the ban. He said the protests, initially peaceful, have seen “massive destruction of property and tremendous loss of lives” due to criminal infiltration.
Authorities reportedly have intelligence about planned attacks by these criminal elements during upcoming protests, including one scheduled for today, July 18th.
The lack of identifiable leadership among the protestors further complicates the situation. According to Kanja, this makes it impossible for police to guarantee their safety and enforce proper security protocols.
“We have a constitutional duty to ensure national security,” Kanja said in a statement. “Credible intelligence suggests organized criminal groups are planning to exploit the protests for violence and looting.”
He added that international security standards for public gatherings require designated leaders to collaborate with police for peaceful demonstrations. The absence of such leadership in past protests has hampered security efforts.
The duration of the ban remains unclear; the statement only says “until further notice.”