Government set to introduce 10 proposals to control demonstrations

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki.  [Jenipher Wachie, Standard]

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki says the government is looking to amend the Public Order Act and Statutory Instruments Act following Azimio la Umoja's planned mass action.

In a statement, Kindiki noted that Article 37 of the constitution gave Kenyans the right to assemble, demonstrate and picket. However, he noted that the demonstrators should carry out their activities peacefully and unarmed.

"The Constitution and Statute Law enjoin security agencies to do everything within the law to protect the lives and property of non-protestors, who also have equal rights to go about their nation-building activities without intimidation or the threat of harm," said Kindiki in a statement.

Below are some of the regulations the government wants to introduce that revolve around demonstrations and picketing;

-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;

-Duty of public agencies and institutions to set aside a zone for persons who wish to present petitions to public authorities;

-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;

-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.