Police boss issues directive ahead of Azimio demonstration
Police IG Japhet Koome bans Azimio anti-government demonstrations terming them unlawful after the coalition failed to give notice
Police IG Japhet Koome bans Azimio anti-government demonstrations terming them unlawful after the coalition failed to give notice.
On Tuesday, July 11, Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome ruled Azimio la Umoja’s planned anti-government protests at Nairobi’s Kamukunji Grounds on Wednesday, July 12, illegal.
Koome claimed in a statement that the protests were illegal and that the police would retaliate strongly against any attempts to hold them.
In accordance with the Constitution, the Azimio la Umoja alliance and other organizations that planned to demonstrate that day neglected to alert the police of their plans and request security support, according to Koome.
“It has come to the attention of the National Police Service through the media, about groups/persons that are planning to hold public demonstrations/protests/gatherings across the country, on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.
“While the Constitutional provision under Article 37 guarantees freedom of assembly, picketing, and petitioning, our statistics this year have clearly shown that such demonstrations have not only left behind a trail of massive destruction of property worth millions of Shillings but also led to the death of innocent members of the public and law enforcement officers,” IG Koome stated
As a result, he assured that the police will be deployed to prevent any violence or disruption to public order in the event the Raila Odinga-led coalition defied the order to keep off the demonstrations.
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“Consequently, and in the interest of national security, the National Police Service wishes to inform the public that in the absence of notifications by planners of any demonstrations as a legal prerequisite to enable police to provide adequate security to demonstrators and the public, police have no other option but to take necessary measures to disperse all illegal demonstrations.
“In this regard, no such demonstrations/gatherings/protests will be allowed tomorrow since no such notification has been presented to any police station. All lawful means will be used to disperse such demonstrations,” Koome ordered.
The police statement came after the Azimio la Umoja coalition called for protests against the rising cost of living and the government’s handling of the economy.
While launching Tumechoka website, a signature collection portal, Raila claimed that Ruto’s administration had ignored the grievances raised over the Finance Act 2023 and strayed from the will of the people.
“Having read and understood the intention of the promoters of this initiative, I hereby Support the Citizens’ initiative to remove from office Mr. William Ruto as President and Mr. Rigathi Gachagua as Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya,” the website tumechoka.com pleads.
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