President William Ruto has launched a scathing attack on the judiciary following a High Court ruling that barred the Inspector General of Police from erecting roadblocks within the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) without prior notice.
Speaking on Wednesday, the President openly criticized Justice Lawrence Mugambi, who had ruled that the National Police Serviceโs actions on Monday, July 7, violated key constitutional rights โ including freedoms of movement, assembly, and protest, as outlined in Articles 37 and 39 of the Constitution.
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โI have seen orders at the court barring the Inspector General from setting up roadblocks and the use of teargas,โ said Ruto. โThe person who issued this directive is protected by the police, has bodyguards, and is driven by a trained officer, yet says police should not protect the property of ordinary Kenyans.โ
The Presidentโs comments came just hours after the High Court sided with a petition filed by the Katiba Institute, which challenged the policeโs use of barricades and barbed wire to block access to the CBD during nationwide protests.
Justice Mugambi ruled that the actions were excessive and unconstitutional, ordering the immediate removal of roadblocks โ with exceptions for limited, reasonable perimeters around protected areas.
But Ruto defended the stateโs approach, confirming that the deployment of roadblocks and use of tear gas were deliberate moves to counter what he described as planned looting and property destruction.
โThere is a reason why there is a roadblock. There is a reason why police have tear gas. They are supposed to be used to protect the lives of Kenyans when they are in danger,โ he said.
The President also accused unnamed political actors of orchestrating chaos in the name of protests, suggesting a broader agenda to destabilize the government.
