Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja is facing contempt of court proceedings after the Katiba Institute moved to court, accusing the National Police Service (NPS) of defying High Court orders by mounting roadblocks across Nairobi during the June 25 Gen Z anniversary protests.

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In court papers filed on Friday, June 26, the lobby group wants Kanja held personally liable for what it describes as a deliberate violation of conservatory orders barring police from erecting barricades on public roads without issuing prior public notice.

"Public order and human rights are not mutually exclusive. The continued use of unconstitutional measures to suppress peaceful acts of remembrance is unacceptable in a democratic society," the Katiba Institute said in a statement seen by this publication.

The application stems from the widespread police operation witnessed on Thursday morning, when officers sealed off major entry points into Nairobi, including sections of Thika Road, Mombasa Road, Waiyaki Way, and roads leading to Parliament, causing massive traffic disruptions.

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Thousands of commuters and motorists were left stranded as matatus and private vehicles were either turned back or forced to seek alternative routes, with public transport into the Central Business District heavily affected.

The roadblocks also disrupted long-distance travel, with several bus companies suspending or delaying services amid uncertainty over access to the capital.

Katiba Institute argues that the police actions directly violated High Court conservatory orders issued in a petition it filed following similar barricades during the June 2025 anniversary protests.

According to the lobby group, the court had restrained the Inspector General and officers under his command from erecting roadblocks without giving timely advance notice, citing the constitutional rights to freedom of movement and peaceful assembly.

The institute further argues that the unexpected barricades hampered emergency services, disrupted businesses and prevented members of the public from accessing courts and other essential services.

Thursday's operation came despite repeated government assurances that June 25 would remain a normal working day, even as security agencies heightened deployment ahead of demonstrations commemorating those killed during the 2024 anti-Finance Bill protests.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke