Katiba Institute has filed a contempt of court application against Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja, accusing the National Police Service (NPS) of defying a High Court order by erecting unannounced roadblocks across Nairobi during the first anniversary of the June 2024 anti-Finance Bill protests.
In a statement issued on Friday, the governance and constitutional rights lobby said the police leadership had acted in blatant disregard of existing court orders by mounting barricades on key roads leading into the Central Business District despite earlier assurances from the Interior Ministry that it would be "business as usual."
"Yesterday, as Kenyans gathered in peaceful processions to honour the memories of those who lost their lives during the June 2024 Finance Bill protests, the National Police Service once again chose to defy the rule of law," the institute said.
Katiba Institute is seeking to have Inspector-General Douglas Kanja held personally accountable for allegedly violating standing court orders that prohibit police from erecting roadblocks on public roads without issuing timely advance notice to the public.
The organisation said the orders arose from a petition it filed following similar disruptions during the June 2025 anniversary protests. In that case, Katiba Institute v State Law Office (Petition No. E389 of 2025), the High Court issued conservatory orders restraining the Inspector-General and subordinate officers from mounting barricades or roadblocks without prior public notification.
According to the institute, the court found that unannounced roadblocks infringe on constitutional rights, including the freedom of movement under Article 39 and the right to peaceful assembly under Article 37. It also noted that such barriers could delay emergency medical services, disrupt economic activity and hinder access to courts.
Katiba Institute alleged that from the early hours of June 25, motorists and pedestrians were blocked or turned away at police barricades on major roads, including Thika Road, Mombasa Road, Waiyaki Way and routes leading to Parliament.
It argued that these actions directly contradicted the High Court's directives and the government's public assurances.
The lobby group also rejected public statements by police leadership describing the barricades as routine security checks, arguing that such explanations do not exempt the National Police Service from complying with the legal requirement to notify the public in advance.
"Public order and human rights are not mutually exclusive. The continued use of unconstitutional measures to suppress peaceful acts of remembrance is unacceptable in a democratic society," the statement said.
Katiba Institute urged the courts to act swiftly to uphold the Constitution and reinforce the principle that all public institutions, including the National Police Service, are bound by the rule of law.
"We urge the courts to act swiftly to uphold the Constitution and remind the National Police Service that no individual or institution is above the law," the institute said.