Central Nairobi sealed off ahead of Kenyan protests
Much of the city centre is deserted, with businesses shut and a heavy security presence on the streets. Some schools have advised students to stay at home.
Hundreds of early-morning commuters and overnight travellers were stranded at checkpoints, some located more than 10km (six miles) from the city centre, with only a few vehicles allowed through.
Within the city, roads leading to key government sites - including the president's official residence, State House, and the Kenyan parliament - are barricaded with razor wire.
In a statement issued on Sunday evening, the police said it was their constitutional duty to protect lives and property while maintaining public order.
Monday's protests, dubbed Saba Saba (Swahili for 7 July), commemorate the 1990s struggle for multiparty democracy in Kenya.
These demonstrations have been organised primarily by young people, demanding good governance, greater accountability, and justice for victims of police brutality. They are the latest in a wave of anti-government protests that began last year.
Recent demonstrations have turned violent, with reports of infiltration by "goons", who are accused of looting and attacking protesters. Civil society groups allege collusion between these groups and the police - accusations the police have strongly denied.
On Sunday, an armed gang attacked the headquarters of a human rights NGO in Nairobi. The Kenya Human Rights Commission had been hosting a press conference organised by women calling for an end to state violence ahead of Monday's protests.
This year marks the 35th anniversary of the original Saba Saba protests - a key moment that helped usher in multiparty democracy in Kenya after years of one-party rule.
Why the death of a blogger has put Kenya's police on trial
Are East African governments uniting to silence dissent?
Kenyan vendor shot by police during protests dies after life support switched off
Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.
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