Dozens of long-distance travellers were left stranded on Monday morning after police mounted extensive roadblocks on all major highways leading into Nairobi, effectively sealing off the Central Business District (CBD) ahead of the Saba Saba Day commemorations.
Families, many with young children and elderly passengers, who had travelled overnight from regions such as Western, Nyanza, Central, and the Rift Valley, arrived in the city early only to be halted at heavily guarded police checkpoints. Buses and private vehicles were stopped, redirected, or forced to park at locations such as Kabete Police Station, where passengers waited anxiously with little communication from authorities.
“We left Kisii at 10 p.m. and arrived in Nairobi at dawn,” said Agnes Nyanchama, a distressed passenger. “We have been stuck here for hours. No one is telling us what’s happening or when we’ll be allowed to proceed.”
Another traveller, who had come from Kampala, Uganda, shared a similar plight. “We reached Kabete around 9 a.m., but were told we can’t go further. Everything is in the hands of the Kenyan government. For now, we just wait.”
Drivers voiced their frustration over the unannounced lockdown, citing hunger, confusion, and rising tensions among passengers. Despite earlier government assurances that July 7 would be a normal working day, security agencies launched a sweeping lockdown overnight, citing fears of planned protests potentially escalating into chaos.
Roadblocks were mounted on major roads including Waiyaki Way, Mombasa Road, Thika Road, Jogoo Road, Kiambu Road, and Valley Road. Only emergency and government vehicles were allowed to pass, while police conducted thorough vehicle searches at every checkpoint.
The heightened security measures come as Kenya marks Saba Saba Day, a politically significant date commemorating the 1990 movement that pushed for multi-party democracy in the country. With concerns that protestors might use the occasion to infiltrate the CBD, authorities have opted for a hardline approach, leaving hundreds caught in the crossfire of a tense national moment.
As of Monday afternoon, no official statement had been issued on when normal traffic flow would resume.
