Tough new rules await protesters if I return to Interior docket, says Kindiki
Protesters march along Kenyatta Avenue in Nairobi during anti-Finance Bill demos on June 25, 2024.
Protesters will be required to declare the exact number of people expected to attend demonstrations to help with security planning.
This is according to Interior CS nominee Prof Kithure Kindiki, who told the National Assembly Appointments Committee during his vetting that he had already drafted the new Public Order Act regulations before his dismissal and was only waiting for Cabinet approval before presenting them to Parliament.
If approved, Prof Kindiki said, the regulations will provide clear guidelines on how demonstrations should be conducted to ensure that both police and protesters abide by the Constitution.
"This is a low-hanging fruit that can be implemented if approved by this House," he said.
He said the proposed rules will clearly outline the role and conduct of the police, while protesters will be required to declare the exact number of those who will be demonstrating for security purposes.
Prof Kindiki also told MPs that the regulations will require all public institutions to designate places where members of the public can picket and even present their petitions.
This is to ensure that the rest of the public who do not take part in the protests are not inconvenienced.
Prof Kindiki also faced tough questions about the conduct of the police during the recent demonstrations, where they have been accused of using excessive force to disperse protesters.
But Prof Kindiki defended the police, saying they did their best in the circumstances at the time to stabilise the country.
He told the vetting panel that some criminal elements took advantage of the situation, hence the need for the police to intervene to maintain law and order and also protect the property of the public.
He revealed that 110 vehicles belonging to members of the public were burnt by the protesters across the country.
Prof Kindiki, however, said officers who used excessive force would be dealt with in accordance with the Constitution as the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) would handle such cases.
