The opposition's anti-state mass action protests slated for Tuesday, May 2, will not be allowed in Nairobi.
The city-county's Regional Police Commander Adamson Bungei said the decision to bar the protests was informed by previous ones that turned violent leading to loss of lives and destruction of properties.
While acknowledging that the constitution stipulates the right for picketing, Bungei said the same is not guaranteed if it gets abused.
"Demonstrators, picketers, and petition-presenters must do "peaceably and unarmed". Assemblies, picketing and demonstrations which are not peaceful are excluded from the protection of the Article. If they consist of violence to or intimidation of the public then the assembly or the demonstration ought to be stopped," he said.
The police boss observed that many innocent Kenyans suffered in the hands of Azimio protesters who were armed with machetes and such offensive weapons during last month's protests.
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"Previous demonstrations in the month of March conducted by Azimio were marred with violence as the demonstrators were armed with machetes, who attacked innocent members of the public who were going by their business resulting in the destruction of property, attacks on members of the general public who were not demonstrating, stealing, looting and death of several Kenyans," stated the police boss.
He said that despite the notice served to his team by the Raila Odinga-led faction, the demonstrations would not be allowed in the city and its environs.
Should they go ahead, the law enforcement agents would then swing to action and counter them.
"The Azimio demonstrations were nothing but peaceful as such by this letter we are declining to allow the Azimio team the go ahead to proceed with the demonstrations and any such demonstration will be dispensed by law enforcement officers," said Bungei.
Bungei spoke on Sunday, April 29, at the Nairobi Police Headquarters where he had a press briefing.
Raila and his team resorted to returning to the streets even as the bipartisan team bringing together legislators from his camp and that of Kenya Kwanza continue deliberating on the terms of engagement.
The former prime minister wants the government to review the cost of living in favour of Kenyans, proper and inclusive reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) ahead of the 2027 vote, and auditing of the electoral agency's servers with respect to the 2022 presidential vote.
