- Pictures seen by the Star showed a heavy continegent of police officer mounting a road block on the section of a road.
Image: SCREENGRAB
Police have blocked City Hall Way even as Kenyans are expected to storm the streets of Nairobi Central Business District to protest over Finance Bill 20224.
The road was closed at Supreme Court roundabout.
Pictures seen by the Star showed a heavy contingent of police officers mounting a roadblock on the section of a road.
The GUS officers were seen carrying rungus, tear gas canisters and firearms.
Vehicles seeking to use the road had to undergo some inspection before being allowed passage.
Police officers were deployed in various parts of Nairobi including around parliament.
The protests dubbed "Occupy Parliament" are meant to pressure MPs to shoot down Finance Bill 20224 which a section of Kenyans have described as "Punitive".
Nairobi Regional Police Commander Adamson Bungei dismissed any plan to organise protests in Nairobi saying it was illegal.
Bungei said that no one applied for a gathering or picketing permit as expected. He said the protest was illegal and banned.
Bungei said they received a 'faulty' document dated June last year, which doesn't meet the protest permission threshold.
“The notification they left at Central is dated June 17, 2023. It is faulty. We can't allow them. No demonstration.”
“Kenyans should be allowed to do their business and those with grievances should direct them where they know well.”
He added they have mobilized officers to ensure that any gathering is dispersed instantly.
This comes as activists led by Boniface Mwangi have already issued an elaborate plan for the protest dubbed 'Occupy Parliament' against the Finance Bill 2024.
Police have already warned of possible disruption of traffic flow on some roads near the Parliament Building on Tuesday, June 18.
This will be part of efforts to contain the planned protest outside Parliament in Nairobi to oppose the Finance Bill, 2024.
More anti-riot teams were mobilized in readiness for the deployment to start from mid-day, police said.
Police aware of the situation said they had been ordered to ensure they “diffuse” the protest from the start.
A multi-agency team had been holding meetings to plan how they would handle the protest.
The protest dubbed Occupy Parliament is planned for Tuesday, June 18 when the Bill is expected to be tabled in the House.
The voting on the Bill is expected on Thursday, June 20.