Beyond the barricades: How roadblocks disrupt work, school and business

Police officers erect a roadblock on Jogoo Road in Nairobi during the Saba Saba commemoration on July 7, 2026.  [Edward Kiplimo, Standard]

Nairobi has in recent years become a hotspot for protests. But for many residents, the concern isn't the demonstrations but activities surrounding the events. 

The police roadblocks disrupt movement, thereby crippling livelihoods, learning and transport.

There is a legitimate case for these checkpoints. Screening vehicles, verifying identities and controlling who enters key areas are standard procedure for keeping a city safe when tensions rise. 

The National Police Service said the enhanced checkpoints across Nairobi were informed by past Saba Saba commemorations that had, in some instances, led to breaches of peace and disruption of the lives of innocent people.

According to the authorities, roadblocks are not about restricting citizens but protecting them and businesses from chaos and vandalism.

But that justification only holds if the roadblocks serve the intended purpose.

However, Kenyans find themselves on the receiving end even after identifying themselves and going through the necessary checks, as police stop them from proceeding to their destination.

On Tuesday, as Kenyans commemorate Saba Saba Day, police have once again erected roadblocks on major highways and roads leading to the CBD, causing traffic snarl-ups as vehicles and pedestrians are screened. 

The ripple effects of the actions are easy to underestimate because they don't make headlines the way teargas or arrests do.

Police roadblock at City Stadium roundabout in Nairobi on July 7, 2026. [Bernard Orwongo, Standard]

Some people who could work remotely chose to do so, not out of caution but out of resignation. Others chose to stay home for fear of having their businesses looted and being turned away by the police.

Schools, too, feel the disruption. Attendance drops while some opt to ask students to stay away for fear of being caught up in the chaos and missing transport.

The disruption means that a "normal working day" is just an illusion peddled by the government.

The roadblock acts as a shield and a wall. It can keep chaos from spilling into the CBD and at the same time prevent people from going about their business.

Should the security officers come up with a better way of ensuring law and order without causing disruption?

None of this is an argument against security checks in principle. A city bracing for potential unrest has a duty to prevent chaos but there is a difference between preparedness and paralysis. 

Plainclothes arrest activists during Saba Saba commemoration protests along Harambee Avenue in Nairobi on July 7, 2026.  [Kanyiri Wahito, Standard]

When roadblocks stretch across every major artery into the city for an entire day, the cost isn't paid by the demonstrators or the disruptors but the very people the security operation was ostensibly designed to protect.

If roadblocks are going to be a constant feature during unrest, then the conversation needs to shift to how they are managed.

Clear communication, defined time limits, humane treatment at checkpoints and genuine efforts to ensure normalcy would go a long way to ensure Kenyans go about their business.

The security agents should guarantee Kenyans safety without disruption during unrest.