Kenyan police sealed off major roads in and out of Nairobi’s central business district on Monday, deploying heavy security ahead of mass antigovernmental protests expected on the symbolic Saba Saba day (July 7). Metal spikes and barricades were erected across key intersections, roundabouts, and access routes to State House, the official residence of President William Ruto. Local media reported traffic gridlocks and halted public transport as authorities intensified restrictions Sunday night, targeting vehicles suspected of transporting demonstrators.
Tens of thousands of citizens are expected to join the protests, accusing the Ruto administration of economic mismanagement, corruption, and police brutality. The demonstrations are being held on the anniversary of the 1990 Saba Saba protests, a historic day of civil resistance that pressured Kenya’s then-government into allowing multi-party democracy.
Public outrage has intensified over President Ruto’s controversial tax hikes, introduced less than two years into his term, despite campaign promises to champion low-income Kenyans. Last year, similar protests saw demonstrators storm parliament, prompting the government to withdraw a widely unpopular finance bill.
Ruto has defended the tax measures as necessary for fiscal stability, but critics say his policies have deepened economic hardship for ordinary citizens. Rights groups have also condemned the government’s increasing use of force against dissenters. The outcome of today’s protests could mark another defining moment in Kenya’s ongoing struggle between governance, economic justice, and civil liberties.
