Justice on Hold: Nairobi Courts Paralyzed Amid Saba Saba Security Lockdown

Nairobi, Kenya – July 9, 2025

The fallout from the Saba Saba Day protests has now rippled into Kenya’s judiciary, grinding operations at key Nairobi law courts—including Milimani, Makadara, Kibera, and Kahawa—to a near-complete halt.

In what legal observers are calling “an unprecedented lockdown of justice,” heavy police presence and barricades have surrounded court buildings since early Tuesday, barring access to lawyers, magistrates, judicial staff, and the general public.

“We couldn’t even approach the gate,” said a defense attorney scheduled to appear at Milimani. “Justice delayed is now justice denied.”

Several high-profile criminal and civil cases were adjourned indefinitely, sparking concern among legal professionals over the growing case backlog and the broader implications for due process in a politically tense environment.

Court registries are currently scrambling to assess the scope of the disruption, with most hearings expected to be rescheduled later this week, assuming security measures are eased.

“This is not just a delay—it’s a disruption of constitutional order,” remarked a senior official from the Law Society of Kenya.

While government officials have justified the heightened security as necessary to avert further chaos, the shutdown of court operations raises serious concerns about the independence and accessibility of the justice system in times of civil unrest.

Critics argue that the government’s over-militarized approach to protest management is now creating institutional paralysis, from businesses and health services to the core of Kenya’s legal system.

As protests continue and security remains tight across Nairobi, all eyes are now on whether the judiciary can resume its role without further political interference—or whether the justice system itself has become a casualty of the state’s response to citizen dissent.