Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has cautioned the opposition against going ahead with anti-government protests scheduled for Monday, March 27, 2023.
In a statement to newsrooms on Sunday, Kindiki said there are gaps in the current law on demonstrations and as such security organs will not entertain any protests in the country.
According to Kindiki, protests organised last Monday by the Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya coalition were violent.
“Law enforcement agencies shall not tolerate the reported plans to repeat the violent, chaotic and economically disruptive protests that took place in Nairobi and Kisumu on 20th March 2023 whatsoever,” Kindiki said.
The CS said plans are underway to introduce at least 10 changes to the current law.
“Shortly, the Government shall introduce in Parliament subsidiary legislation in the form of Regulations pursuant to the Public Order Act and the Statutory Instruments Act to provide for the legal circumscription of assemblies, demonstrations, pickets and petitions,” he said.
The proposed changes include notification procedures; duties of security agencies to protect the rights of those participating in the assembly, demonstration, picket or petition; demarcation of assembly, demonstration, picket and petition zones; and duty of public agencies and institutions to set aside a zone for persons who wish to present petitions to public authorities.
Other changes are the duty of organizers of assemblies, demonstrations, pickets and petitions to provide the hours, routes and other relevant information to assist law enforcement agencies to escort them and provide them with security; consent requirements from persons whose activities are likely to be affected by assemblers, demonstrators, picketers and petitioners; obligations of the organizers of assemblies, demonstrations, pickets and petitions to ensure that the activities remain peaceful, unarmed and generally within the law including compliance with the duty not to infringe on the rights of others.
Kindiki also noted that the changes to the law will include limitations on the number of assemblers, demonstrators, picketers and petitioners at any particular occasion; responsibility for clean-up costs; and responsibility for, and payment of, damages to those harmed by activities of assemblers, demonstrators, picketers or petitioners.
“Presently, it is not feasible for security organs to allow masses of people to roam streets and
neighborhoods of their choice carrying stones and other offensive weapons while chanting political
slogans and disrupting the daily activities of others,” Kindiki stated.
Earlier, Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome warned that the demos pushing for economic and electoral reforms were illegal.
He threatened to arrest any leader found leading protests in any part of the country irrespective of their social status.
“We have visitors from many foreign nations and we will not allow anything to happen in our capital city. Everyone has the right to go into the city centre,” Koome said.
“I have the mandate to ensure that I protect lives and property and I am very good at that. I will not sleep on the job. Whichever level or status you have in society. I have enough land cruisers to take you away to jail and be there for a lifetime.”
Koome urged Kenyans to go on freely with their lawful businesses tomorrow and called upon the police to carry on with their work, without fear or intimidation.
