The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) said it will pursue complaints about security officers operating roadblocks on the Lamu‑Malindi highway, after Coast civil society organisations highlighted alleged harassment and officers hiding their identities.

The checkpoints are part of counter‑terrorism operations, but civil society groups argue they breach a High Court order that requires officers to display name tags or service numbers and forbids the use of hoods, balaclavas or masks.

The High Court order of 21 May 2026 suspended the night‑to‑dawn curfew in Lamu County but did not stop the National Police Service or other agencies from conducting lawful security checks, the Interior Ministry told Parliament on 28 July 2026.

Government officials maintain that the checkpoints do not constitute a curfew reinstatement, emphasizing that residents remain free to move while subject to reasonable security screening.

Lamu East MP Ruweida Mohamed contested the government’s view, stating that travelers between Mokowe and Gamba were still being stopped after midnight and turned back by special forces.

A notable incident involved six members of Muslims for Human Rights (MUHURI), detained for about two hours at a roadblock between Gamba and Minjila on 29 September, during which officers concealed their faces and refused identification.

IPOA chair Dr Duncan Ojwang said the authority would liaise with the Inspector‑General of Police to ensure compliance with the court order and develop mechanisms for ongoing engagement with civil society.

The chair also proposed a police‑community trust forum to capture county‑specific security concerns and provide a structured channel for civilian feedback.

IPO​A’s commissioner Annette Mbogoh urged civil society to keep submitting complaints, highlighted a backlog of over 40 % of cases that remain uninvestigated, and noted ongoing work to improve the authority’s electronic case‑management system.

The engagement also touched on broader reforms, with Dr Ojwang calling for legislation to operationalise Article 37 of the Constitution and clarify police conduct during public demonstrations.