IG Kanja Taken to Court Over Actions During June 25 Protests

The Katiba Institute has taken Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja to court for contempt, saying he ignored court orders by letting police set up roadblocks across Nairobi during the June 25 protests.

In a statement on Friday, June 26, 2026, the group said the National Police Service ignored High Court orders by putting up barricades on main roads into Nairobi’s Central Business District without warning.

“In response to this blatant disregard for the judiciary, Katiba Institute has formally filed a contempt of court application seeking to hold Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja accountable for violating standing court orders,” read part of the statement.

The roadblocks were set up as Kenyans marked the second anniversary of the 2024 anti-Finance Bill protests, during which several people were killed.

Katiba Institute argues that the police actions violated a court order that barred the Inspector General and other officers from mounting roadblocks on public roads without giving the public advance notice.

Katiba Institute Cites Initial Court Orders

According to the institute, the court orders were issued after it filed a petition following similar roadblocks during the June 2025 protest anniversary.

The High Court ruled that while police have a duty to maintain security, they must inform the public before setting up roadblocks because such measures can interfere with constitutional rights.

Also Read: IG Kanja Slapped With 6 Demands Ahead of June 25 Gen Z Memorial Protests

Katiba Institute says the June 25 roadblocks blocked motorists and pedestrians from accessing Nairobi through major roads, including Thika Road, Mombasa Road, Waiyaki Way, and roads around Parliament.

The organisation argues that the barricades restricted freedom of movement and peaceful assembly.

It also says the roadblocks disrupted businesses, delayed access to courts, and could have prevented emergency vehicles from reaching people in need.

It has now asked the court to hold Kanja in contempt for allegedly failing to comply with the earlier court orders.

Nairobi Roadblocks Trigger Fresh Legal Battle

The institute also criticised public statements by police leaders defending the roadblocks, saying such explanations do not remove the legal requirement to notify the public in advance.

It maintained that maintaining public order should not come at the expense of constitutional rights and urged the court to enforce its previous orders.

The court is expected to consider whether the police violated the conservatory orders issued in the earlier case.

Murkomen Defends IG Kanja and Police

The application comes a day after Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen defended the heavy security measures used during the June 25 anniversary protests.

Also Read: Murkomen Reveals Why Plain-Clothes Officers Were Deployed During Protests

Murkomen said the government received credible intelligence that criminal groups planned to infiltrate the demonstrations, loot businesses, attack civilians, and target protected areas such as Parliament.

He said the roadblocks and security screenings were necessary to prevent violence and protect critical infrastructure, although he acknowledged that they inconvenienced many Nairobi residents.

The Interior CS also defended the deployment of masked and plainclothes police officers, saying some officers work undercover as part of intelligence operations and that face coverings are sometimes necessary to protect officers from being identified and targeted during security operations.

Follow our WhatsApp channel for instant news updates.

Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen together with security personnel during the press post demonstrations on June 25
PHOTO/K24