Police Round Up Protesters Outside Jogoo House as Saba Saba Security Crackdown Intensifies
An attempted demonstration staging outside Jogoo House in Nairobi was cut short after police arrested several protesters in a swift operation that highlighted the government’s heightened security response to this year’s Saba Saba commemorations.
These arrested protesters had gathered hoping to start a peaceful demonstration as part of the nationwide Saba Saba protests. However, before the group could make its demands known, both uniformed and plainclothes police officers moved in, arresting several individuals and escorting them into waiting police vehicles.
As a way of stopping the planned demonstrations, to mark the annual Saba Saba Day, the authorities had mounted roadblocks on major routes leading to CBD and deployed a large number of security officers to key government installations.
It has been testified that the police kept a close watch on the Jogoo House area preventing more people from joining the gathering hence the atmosphere remaining tense. The heavy security presence forced many would-be protesters and motorists to alter their routes, while business activities in parts of the city were disrupted.
Saba Saba, observed every July 7, marks the historic struggle for multiparty democracy in Kenya. Over the years, it has evolved into a day when Kenyans take to the streets to express concerns over governance, the economy and other national issues. This year’s demonstrations were preceded by warnings from authorities against unlawful gatherings, prompting an extensive security operation in Nairobi and other parts of the country.
The arrests of the to be protesters outside the Jogoo House became the day’s defining moments, showing the government’s determination to prevent protests from taking a firm ground as many Kenyans continued to debate the right to peaceful assembly and public order.
