This archive report was first published on 21 April 2020.
On April 20, 2020, a tense confrontation unfolded at a roadblock in Thika, Kenya, between police officers and essential service providers.
Medical professionals, health workers, food dealers, distributors, wholesalers, and transporters of farm produce were among those caught up in the chaos, which caused a significant traffic snarl.
Despite presenting identification documents, patients being ferried to hospitals in Thika and its surroundings were not allowed to proceed beyond the roadblock.
Those who spoke to the press claimed they were being ordered to obtain clearance from county police bosses, even with the necessary documents in hand.
Rose Mundia, a senior nursing officer at Thika Level 5 Hospital, was barred from entering Kiambu County from Murang'a by GSU officers and forced to return home.
Dr. James Maina Githinji, chairman of the Central Region Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union, arrived at the scene and stated that the officers were either misinformed or overreacting.
