Outrage after police allegedly block hundreds of youth traveling to Nairobi from Diani

A storm of public outrage erupted after multiple reports surfaced of police allegedly blocking hundreds of young Kenyans from traveling back to Nairobi from Diani, Mombasa County, over fears they would participate in the Saba Saba protests.

According to human rights activist Hussein Khalid, youth who had attended the Diani Summer Tide Festival were intercepted at the Dongo Kundu Bypass near Likoni as they attempted to catch the 2 pm SGR train back to the capital.

In his tweet, Khalid accused the police of violating constitutional rights, “Now police are curtailing freedom of movement! Nkt!” he wrote, revealing that officers claimed the youth would attend the July 7 (7/7) protests if allowed to proceed.

Khalid added that the detained individuals were being held pending "orders from above," a phrase that has become synonymous with arbitrary crackdowns in politically tense moments.

The incident has sparked widespread condemnation from civil society and netizens, who view the move as a blatant attack on the right to freedom of movement.

Now police are curtailing freedom of movement! Nkt!

Hundreds of youth from Nairobi who had attended the Diani Summer Tide Festival have been stopped at the Dongo Kundu bypass near Likoni, Mombasa.

They were to catch the 2pm SGR to Nairobi but they have been stopped by police… pic.twitter.com/30zilVarIW

— husseinkhalid (@husskhalid) July 6, 2025

At the same time, digital activist Cyprian Nyakundi reported that motorists traveling from the Coast region to Nairobi were encountering an unusual number of police checkpoints along the Mombasa-Nairobi Highway.

“Passengers, particularly those headed to the capital city, are being subjected to heightened surveillance, including identity checks and repeated questioning about their place of residence and reason for travel,” Nyakundi posted, accompanied by a short video showing a traffic snarl-up and visible police presence.

July 7, historically known as Saba Saba, commemorates Kenya’s pro-democracy movement of 1990.

In recent years, it has evolved into a day of civil resistance, especially among youth demanding accountability and reforms.

With Gen Z and millennial voices leading the charge this year, government response appears to be tightening in real time.

Legal experts and human rights organizations have already weighed in, warning that such actions by police could amount to unconstitutional profiling and preventive punishment.

"Freedom of movement is a constitutional guarantee. Denying citizens travel based on perceived intentions is not just unlawful, it's dystopian," lawyer Essendi Kenneth told TNX Africa.

The Ministry of Interior and the National Police Service are yet to issue a formal explanation.