Heavy Police Deployment Locks Down Mombasa Ahead of Saba Saba Protests
Mombasa witnessed a heavy police presence on Monday morning as authorities moved swiftly to suppress planned Saba Saba Day demonstrations.
From as early as dawn, anti-riot police officers were seen assembling at the Central Police Station before being deployed to key flashpoints across the coastal city. Most shops in the central business district remained closed as tension gripped the town.
Uniformed and plainclothes officers were stationed along Moi Avenue, particularly around the Mapembeni area, a common assembly point for protesters. Mombasa Mall in the bustling Mwembe Tayari area was also guarded by heavily armed officers.
The police lockdown follows a statement by Central Police Station OCS Sylvester Wambua, who declared that the planned protests had been “declined and cancelled” due to security concerns.
“The intelligence gathered so far indicates that goons with criminal intentions plan to hijack the demonstration and cause anarchy, mayhem, and looting,” Wambua said. “In the interest of peace and stability in this coastal tourist town, we find it inadvisable to allow the procession to proceed.”
The statement came just days after police detained and interrogated two activists, Bradley Ouna and Evans Momanyo, for over six hours on Saturday. The duo, signatories to a formal protest notification submitted to the police, strongly denied accusations of incitement or links to criminal activity.
The events in Mombasa mirror heightened security alerts across the country as Kenyans commemorate the 35th anniversary of the historic Saba Saba uprising that led to the advent of multiparty democracy.
Despite assurances from civil society that the protests would remain peaceful, the state’s firm stance and increased deployment raise questions about the balance between national security and the right to peaceful assembly.
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Heavy Police Deployment Locks Down Mombasa Ahead of Saba Saba Protests