IG Kanja faces jail for contempt over roadblocks during protests
National
By
Nancy Gitonga
| Jun 26, 2026
Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja risks a jail term if found guilty of deliberately defying High Court orders.
The Katiba Institute has filed contempt of court proceedings against Kanja for mounting police roadblocks and razor-wire barricades on major roads in Nairobi during Thursday's third anniversary of Gen Z protests.
The lobby says the National Police Service violated existing court orders issued last year barring unlawful road closures without prior notice to the public.
In the application filed before the Milimani High Court on Friday, Katiba Institute argues that despite the existence of binding court orders, police officers erected roadblocks and barricades across major entry points into Nairobi's Central Business District, severely restricting movement and preventing members of the public from accessing the city.
According to the application, police mounted roadblocks and razor-wire barricades on major roads leading into and within the CBD, including Mombasa Road, Thika Road, Waiyaki Way, Lang'ata Road, Jogoo Road, Parliament Road, Harambee Avenue, Kenyatta Avenue, Haile Selassie Avenue and Valley Road, as well as roads leading to State House.
The lobby argues that the closures effectively locked down the city despite existing High Court orders prohibiting such actions unless proper notice is issued to the public.
Katiba Institute says the Inspector General was fully aware of the court orders but nevertheless allowed police officers to implement the road closures in blatant disregard of the authority of the court.
"The Inspector General of Police is in contempt of this Honourable Court's orders by permitting, authorising and/or failing to prevent the erection of unlawful roadblocks contrary to the court's directives," the application states.
The organisation says the actions violated the Constitution, undermined the rule of law and denied thousands of Kenyans their constitutional rights, including freedom of movement, peaceful assembly and access to the city.
"The deliberate disobedience of court orders strikes at the heart of constitutional governance and the rule of law and cannot be allowed to stand," Katiba Institute says in its application.
The lobby is asking the High Court to find Kanja guilty of contempt of court and impose appropriate sanctions for what it describes as wilful disobedience of judicial orders.
It is also seeking orders compelling the Inspector General to fully comply with the existing court directives and to refrain from erecting similar roadblocks in future unless permitted by law and after giving prior public notice as required by the court.
The contempt application stems from Thursday's nationwide demonstrations marking the third anniversary of the Gen Z protests.
In the early morning on Thursday, police sealed off several roads leading into Nairobi's CBD using razor wire, heavy security deployments and barricades, causing widespread traffic disruption, stranding commuters and restricting access to businesses, government offices and other essential services
The matter is pending direction before the High Court.