Dozens of families travelling from upcountry were left stranded on Monday morning after police mounted extensive roadblocks on all major highways leading into Nairobi.
The move effectively sealed off the Central Business District (CBD) ahead of the anticipated Saba Saba Day commemorations.
Many of the families, some with young children and elderly passengers, arrived in the city early in the morning only to find their entry into the CBD blocked by heavily armed police officers stationed along key routes.
Long-distance buses from regions such as Western, Nyanza, Central, and Rift Valley were halted at various police checkpoints.
Some of the vehicles were redirected or forced to park at Kabete Police Station as drivers and passengers waited anxiously for further instructions.
“We left Kisii at 10 p.m. and arrived in Nairobi at dawn,” said Agnes Nyanchama, a passenger on one of the affected buses.
“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 said she was from Kampala, Uganda, and they arrived at Kabete at 9 am and were told they would not proceed.
“Everything is in the hands of the Kenyan government. For us, we will just have to wait,” she said.
Drivers expressed frustration, saying they were not warned about the lockdown, which has left them and their passengers stranded, hungry, and confused.
The government had earlier insisted that July 7 would proceed as a normal working day.
However, security agencies launched a pre-emptive citywide lockdown amid fears that planned protests would disguise themselves and infiltrate the CBD, sparking chaos.
Roadblocks were mounted on major roads including Waiyaki Way, Kenyatta Avenue, Jogoo Road, Mombasa Road, Thika Road, Kiambu Road, Uhuru Highway, Valley Road, and several feeder roads.
Officers at the checkpoints conducted extensive vehicle searches and only allowed government or emergency vehicles to pass.
The restrictive measures come as Kenya marks Saba Saba Day — a politically symbolic date rooted in the 1990 movement for multi-party democracy.
