On the 35th anniversary of the historic Saba Saba protests, Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) was engulfed in chaos as police lobbed tear gas along Kenyatta Avenue, despite no visible demonstrators, according to NTV journalist Ibrahim Karanja.
The heavy-handed security response, which included denying ambulances access to the CBD, has heightened tensions as Kenya braces for Gen Z-led protests against police brutality, corruption, and economic hardship under President William Ruto’s administration.
The incident, reported on X by @ntvkenya, shows growing concerns about excessive force and restrictions on emergency services during the Saba Saba 2025 protests.
The Saba Saba demonstrations, rooted in the 1990 pro-democracy movement, have seen renewed vigor as Gen Z activists demand accountability.
However, on July 7, 2025, Nairobi’s CBD was eerily empty, with police preemptively sealing off major roads, including Kenyatta Avenue, Waiyaki Way, and Uhuru Highway, to block protesters, as reported by Capital News.
Only emergency vehicles and government cars were allowed, but Karanja noted ambulances were denied entry, raising alarms about access to medical care during the lockdown.
Saba Saba:
— NTV Kenya (@ntvkenya) July 7, 2025
Tear gas lobbed on Kenyatta Avenue. Ibrahim Karanja reports that some ambulances have been denied access to the CBD. #FixingTheNationNTV @MariamBishar @NationFmKE @EricLatiff @OfficialJMbugua pic.twitter.com/6Tq7LbATdF
“An ambulance denied entry into Nairobi CBD, as police block all vehicles,” the reporter said.
The use of tear gas with no demonstrators present has fueled accusations of police overreach.
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has called for investigations into such tactics, citing violations of constitutional rights to assembly and healthcare access.
The June 25, 2025, protests, which left 16 dead and 400 injured, set a grim precedent, with Amnesty International documenting police use of live rounds and tear gas.
