Total lockdown: Murkomen's 'normal day' meets Nairobi's roadblocks

Police patrol Moi Avenue in Nairobi during the Gen Z anniversary protests, on June 25, 2026. [Kanyiri Wahito, Standard] 

When Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen stood before the nation on Wednesday and declared Thursday would be “a normal business and school day,” he spoke with the confidence of a man who believes his own words can shape reality.

“Our children are free to go to school and people to go about their businesses,” he said. “The Constitution guarantees the right to education and lawful means of earning a living.”

Yet by 2am on Thursday, police had already begun sealing off the capital. By 4am, every major artery leading into Nairobi was blocked. The message was clear the government does not trust its citizens, and it is terrified of what they might do. The government deployed thousands of officers to turn back long-distance buses and commuters before dawn. What was clear early morning was not about public safety it was about control, and the deep-rooted fear of a government haunted by the ghosts of June 25, 2024.

Mlolongo resident Robert Mwaka was among those who discovered the chasm between government assurances and reality. “Things have gone bad. I woke up in the morning to go to work. I was supposed to be there by 9am, but I may not get there at all because the road is completely closed,” he said.

Police officers at the scene told him the blockade was a security measure.

The contradictions multiplied throughout the morning. Police mounted a roadblock at Mlolongo on Mombasa Road as early as 4am, forcing all Nairobi-bound vehicles to make U-turns. At the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport junction, police barricaded sections of Mombasa Road, causing a major gridlock that stranded hundreds of motorists for hours.

“I was supposed to be in Nakuru by 6am,” said Majaliwa Mwaruwa, a traveller from Mombasa. “We have women and children here. We are already hungry and tired, but our safety comes first.”

On Waiyaki Way, police mounted roadblocks at Kangemi bridge and 87 Uthiru, preventing upcountry buses and PSVs from proceeding to the city centre. Only essential services providers were allowed through after thorough screening. Similar scenes played out on Ngong Road, where officers at the City Mortuary roundabout forced matatus to drop passengers, leaving many commuters stranded mid-way their destinations.

Business premises closed during Gen Z anniversary demos in Nyeri, on June 25, 2026. [Mose Sammy, Standard] 

Along Thika Road, police erected roadblocks at Ruiru, Githurai, Allsops, and Kimbo, effectively preventing matatus and buses from accessing the Central Business District. At the Outering interchange, private motorists were subjected to thorough screening. At Kimbo, scores of passengers were left stranded as both public and private vehicles headed for Nairobi were turned back.

However, when Murkomen briefed the country yesterday evening he commended Kenyans for keeping peace and continuing with their daily business normally.

“I would like to commend all Kenyans for heeding the government’s call to maintain peace and go about their daily activities. As I said yesterday, today was a working and schooling day like any other day. I also wish to report that no widespread cases of looting, vandalism, skirmishes or injuries were reported in the country. Today is a proof when demonstrations are conducted in accordance with the provisions of the constitution, peace and security are guaranteed,” he said.

However, when put to task on the normality experienced in the city after stating 355 Kenyans were arrested across the country, Murkomen said the inconvenience was only experienced in the Nairobi  metropolis with 99 per cent of Kenyans not affected by the protests, forgetting the region commands at least 60 per cent of the country’s business.

The irony was not lost on Kenyans. Online, citizens questioned how Murkomen’s “normal working day” could coexist with a city effectively placed under lockdown. “Murkomen alisema June 25th is a normal, working and school day alafu askari wake wanajaza roadblocks kwa barabara za kuenda kazi,” one Kenyan posted online.

Another asked: “If Today is truly a working day as Murkomen stated, how are commuters meant to reach the CBD?”

As the demonstrations were underway, President William Ruto after attacking Kenya’s oldest media house, Standard Group, through a tweet on X platform, posted his inspection tours of the construction of the Bomas International Conference Centre (BICC).

Major roads within the Nairobi Central Business District remained closed and deserted during Gen Z anniversary protest, on June 25, 2026. [Kanyiri Wahito, Standard] 

Kenyans online couldn’t let it slip, Washingtone Morey asked: “Why are you trying to divert attention from main business of the day?Hii ndio iko top sio project yako.” while posting a picture of The Standard page one. 

In downtown Nairobi, business owners deployed vigilante groups armed with clubs and wearing reflective jackets to guard premises against possible looting and vandalism. Major streets in the city centre, usually bustling with activity, were deserted. Koinange Street, Kimathi Street, Muindi Mbingu Street, and the National Archives were clear of civilian traffic.

The economic cost of the fear-driven lockdown was heartbreaking. Kenya’s registered formal businesses contribute an estimated Sh3.29 billion to the economy daily. When the informal sector is factored in, economic activity exceeds Sh23 billion per day. Much of that was lost on Thursday as businesses remained shut across Nairobi and several satellite towns.

In Ongata Rongai, police erected roadblocks at the Masaai Lodge junction and the Kiserian-Ongata Rongai junction, paralysing public transport. GSU officers only allowed private cars to pass after inspection.

“In the morning, we had to carry very many people to town, and I was charging Sh1,000 to the CBD,” said boda boda rider Paul Karem.

Businesses in Rongai town remained closed, with only a few supermarkets opening their doors.

“I walked all the way from Dandora to Allsops hoping to catch a matatu to Thika, but I haven’t been lucky. There are no vehicles because police have blocked roads despite the government having assured us to report to our normal duties,” said Stephen Odhiambo, a mason from Dandora.

In Kitengela, where anti-government protests have emerged as a hotspot, business activity slowed significantly. “Since morning, I have not earned a single shilling. Nobody is even asking about the items we are selling. Even at the toilets, I do not think I will make the Sh400 I usually earn in a day,” lamented Mildred Haoye, a water vendor and toilet attendant.

Boda boda operator Simiyu Elkana noted, “People are worried about their safety. They think there could be violence, so many have remained at home.”

While Nairobi ground to a halt, Kisumu’s CBD remained calm, with motorists moving as usual.

In Machakos town, business remained slow, with several shops closed and only a few PSVs operating under heavy police presence.

Murang’a town experienced significant disruptions, with major businesses including Magunas and Maathai supermarkets closed and police deployed in strategic positions.

In Nakuru, businesses along Kenyatta Avenue remained shut, while traffic on the usually busy Nairobi-Nakuru Highway was noticeably lighter than normal.

Despite the widespread disruptions, Deputy Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli insisted the roadblocks were necessary to maintain order. At a checkpoint on Waiyaki Way, he told reporters that officers were checking for goons and people carrying dangerous weapons.

“We have not blocked anyone from using the roads. We are only blocking those who are attempting to cause violence. We are stopping vehicles to check whether some are carrying weapons and criminals. That is our work,” Masengeli said.

Nairobi Regional Police Commander Issa Mohamud had earlier said demonstrations would not be allowed in the city, because police had not received the required notification from protest organisers. “June 25 is not a recognised holiday. We will not accept any lawlessness and disorder in the city.”

Opposition leaders, including Kalonzo Musyoka, Martha Karua and Eugene Wamalwa, joined families of Gen Z victims in marching along Uhuru Highway to lay flowers on Parliament Road in memory of the fallen. Former Chief Justice David Maraga accused police of using excessive force during the anniversary protests.

In Kakamega, the family of Caroline Shiramba, who was allegedly killed during the 2024 protests, lit candles at Muliro Gardens. “We have come to the exact place where our daughter was killed, and today we are urging the government to ensure justice for Caroline and other victims is served. It has been two years full of darkness,” said her father, Morris Shiramba.

As evening approached, police fired teargas to disperse protesters in multiple locations across Nairobi’s CBD, including City Market and University Way, where demonstrators attempted to push toward government buildings. Thick smoke filled the air as crowds scattered for cover, the acrid fumes of teargas painful reminder that two years after the protests that shook the nation, the scars remain fresh.

City lawyer Pert Wena says the government turned its own capital into a ghost town. “A state that trusts its citizens does not need to seal off its city before dawn. Today Nairobi was not held hostage by protesters, but by the government.”

[Reporting by David Odongo, Cathrene Emuraget Preston Murunga, Benard Lusigi, Hudson Gumbihi, Modachi Okumu, James Wanzala, Peterson Githaiga]