Constitutional lawyer Willis Otieno has criticised the police roadblocks erected across Nairobi during the Saba Saba demonstrations.

Taking to his X account on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, Otieno argued that the measures unfairly restricted the movement of law-abiding citizens and reflected a government that distrusts its own people.

According to Otieno, roadblocks that bring an entire city to a standstill should not be viewed as effective policing.

“Roadblocks that paralyse an entire city and restrict the movement of law-abiding citizens are not a sign of effective policing; they are a sign of a government that views its own people with suspicion,” he said.

Need for responsible security agencies

Otieno argued that the responsibility of security agencies is to facilitate the peaceful exercise of constitutional rights while maintaining law and order, rather than imposing blanket restrictions whenever citizens gather for demonstrations.

“Public safety and constitutional freedoms are not mutually exclusive. The role of the police is to facilitate the peaceful exercise of rights while preventing crime, not to turn the capital into a security zone whenever citizens choose to assemble,” he said.

Constitutional principles of legality

He further stated that any security measures adopted by the police must comply with constitutional principles of legality, necessity and proportionality.

According to Otieno, Kenyans should not be subjected to excessive movement restrictions while going about their daily activities, including travelling to work or exercising their constitutional rights.

“Security measures must be lawful, necessary and proportionate. Kenyans should never be made to feel like strangers in their own country simply because they wish to travel, work or exercise their constitutional rights,” he stated.

Police earlier notice on checkpoints

This comes a day after the commemorations, the National Police Service (NPS) announced plans to establish enhanced checkpoints across Nairobi, saying the measures were necessary to maintain public order based on previous experiences during Saba Saba protests.

“As a security measure, there will be enhanced police checkpoints on various roads within Nairobi city… to control both human and vehicular movement,” the NPS said in a statement.

Police urged members of the public to cooperate with officers, arguing that previous Saba Saba commemorations had resulted in breaches of peace and disruption of normal business operations.

The Service also warned that anyone engaging in unlawful acts during the demonstrations would face the full force of the law.