The National Police Service has asked political leaders and their supporters to embrace the calm witnessed during Sunday’s Jacaranda Grounds rally, saying the event showed that large political gatherings can take place peacefully and within the law.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the NPS commended the organisers, participants and security officers for maintaining order during the political mobilisation led by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna.
The service said those involved displayed restraint and respect for one another throughout the day, allowing the rally to proceed without violence or interference with public order.
“What was witnessed on Sunday is precisely what the National Police Service has consistently advocated: that we can exercise our constitutional freedoms peacefully and within the law,” the service said.
The Jacaranda event brought together thousands of supporters under Sifuna’s Linda Mwananchi movement and marked the final stage of a political procession that moved through several parts of Nairobi.
Sifuna began the day at All Saints Cathedral, where he attended a church service before joining the mobilisation through some of the city’s busiest areas.
His convoy passed through Marikiti, Burma and Gikomba markets, with additional stopovers at Stage 17, Manyanja Road and Bee Centre.
The procession eventually made its way to Jacaranda Grounds, where Sifuna addressed the crowd at the main rally.
The NPS said the conduct of the organisers and participants provided a useful example of how political activities can be held while protecting public order and allowing citizens to exercise their rights.
“We commend members of the public for their cooperation, maturity and adherence to established protocols,” the service said.
With political mobilisation expected to increase ahead of the 2027 elections, the police service urged leaders, their supporters and other stakeholders to maintain the standards displayed at Jacaranda Grounds.
“The Jacaranda rally demonstrates that political expression can take place without violence or disruption of public order,” the NPS said.
The service said peaceful political gatherings were part of citizens’ constitutional freedoms, provided organisers and participants continued to operate within the law.
The police also restated its position that it would not take sides in political activities, saying it remained “apolitical, impartial and committed to serving and protecting all Kenyans, residents and visitors”.
The NPS said the peaceful outcome of Sunday’s rally should guide future political engagements as the country moves closer to the 2027 elections.