Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has been found in contempt of court over the erection of roadblocks and barricades on roads during the June 25, 2026, Gen Z protests.
Justice Patricia Nyaundi on Thursday found Kanja personally responsible for the actions of police officers who barricaded roads leading into Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) despite a court order requiring police to give members of the public prior notice before erecting roadblocks or barricades.
The judge directed Kanja to appear before the High Court on September 22, 2026, for mitigation before the court determines the appropriate sentence for the contempt.
The proceedings followed police actions during the commemoration of the June 2024 Finance Bill protests, with petitioner Katiba Institute challenging the manner in which police restricted access to parts of Nairobi on June 25, 2026.
The court had issued a conservatory order requiring police to notify the public before putting up roadblocks or barricades in connection with the demonstrations.
However, the court found that the order was not complied with when roads leading into the CBD were blocked on June 25.
