Six Activists Arrested After Protests Outside Jogoo House, Calls for IG Kanja’s Resignation

By Benadeta Mwaura - Reporter

Kenya, 17 August 2026 - Six activists have reportedly been arrested after staging protests outside Jogoo House in Nairobi, where they demanded the resignation of Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja over alleged police brutality, deaths in custody and recent reports of abductions.

The protesters, led by activist Julius Kamau, camped outside the offices of the National Police Service as they sought to draw attention to what they described as growing concerns over police conduct.

Kamau chained himself to the gates of Jogoo House in an attempt to press the protesters' demands, leading to a heated confrontation with police officers at the entrance.

Video footage from the scene showed Kamau still chained to the gate as officers confronted him.

The protesters were also demanding accountability over recent reports of abductions and deaths in police custody, as well as the chaos witnessed in Homa Bay, linking the incidents to wider concerns about the conduct and accountability of the National Police Service.

The demonstration quickly escalated when police moved to prevent the activists from addressing the media.

By the time of publication, six activists had reportedly been arrested outside Jogoo House.

The arrests occurred as the group attempted to explain its demands and call for greater accountability within the police service.

The protest comes against a backdrop of renewed public scrutiny of the National Police Service over allegations of excessive use of force, disappearances and deaths involving people in police custody.

The demands directed at Kanja also come as pressure on the police leadership has intensified following several incidents involving security operations and demonstrations across the country.

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Earlier this year, religious leaders also called for Kanja's resignation following violent disruptions at churches, hotels and public spaces in Nairobi. Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit said the incidents represented a serious failure by security agencies and demanded that those responsible be arrested and prosecuted.

Monday's protesters are now adding their voices to those calls, specifically demanding that the Inspector General take responsibility for what they describe as failures within the police service.

The confrontation at Jogoo House also highlights the increasingly contentious relationship between activists and security agencies over demonstrations and public accountability.

For the protesters, the action was intended to force attention onto their concerns and demand answers from the country's top police leadership.

For the police, the immediate response was to disperse the group and make arrests.

As of Monday afternoon, there was no official statement from the National Police Service explaining the arrests or responding to the activists' demands.

The situation remained developing as the activists' supporters called for their release and further accountability over the issues raised outside Jogoo House.