Police flags post purporting arrest of foreign nationals involved in demos
The National Police Service (NPS) has distanced itself from information purporting that the service has undertaken a crackdown targeting foreigners involved in violent protests in Nairobi and other parts of the country.
The NPS flagged the development as not factual through a statement on its Facebook page on Monday, July 7, 2025.
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“This press statement circulating on social media, purporting to be issued by the spokesperson of the National Police Service, is fake,” a statement from the police read.
The post claimed that the law enforcement officers had apprehended over 100 foreigners involved in protests across the country and in connection with the destruction of property, looting, and burning of police stations.
It also claimed that the police had since embarked on a joint crackdown with the Department of Immigration to flush out illegal immigrants working in Kenya without proper documentation.
Saba Saba fears
The foregoing comes as Police Deputy IG Gilbert Masenegeli moved to quell concerns from Kenya ahead of potentially turbulent Saba Saba Day commemorations on Monday, July 7, 2025.
The Deputy IG of Police defended the heavy deployment of security forces across the capital and insisted that access to the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) remains open to all.
“Everybody is getting into the CBD, everybody is going for duty as normal—no worries,” Masengeli said when pressed about the criteria for accessing the CBD amid the increased security presence.
Journalists on site challenged the claim.
“That is not true. We have seen people being turned away and several roadblocks,” one reporter countered.
Masengeli, maintaining a calm demeanour, pushed back.
“What have you seen?” he asked, before adding, “But you’ve been here—you’ve not been turned away, and you will not be turned away. Ours is just to urge everybody to keep peace and confine within the rule of law.”
Despite Masengeli’s assurances, the reality on the ground painted a different picture.
City under siege?
A spot check by K24 Digital confirmed that major roads leading into the CBD were being manned by armed police, with barricades mounted and vehicles stopped and searched.
Wayaki Way, a key artery from Westlands into the city, was heavily guarded.
Officers stationed at Valley Road inspected even private vehicles.
At the Thika Superhighway, a roadblock at Roysambu backed up traffic, while further south along Ngong Road, another checkpoint was mounted at City Mortuary.
The crackdown extended to pedestrians, with reports of people being questioned or turned away.
Other monitored access points included Ladhies Road, Haile Selassie Avenue, Kenyatta Avenue, and Uhuru Highway—effectively tightening a ring around the city centre.
