Police give go-ahead to insecurity protest in Nairobi

Nairobi, Kenya: Police have allowed a section of civil society groups to stage a protest in Nairobi Tuesday against rising insecurity in the country.

Police have in the meantime warned against violence in the march.

“We have allowed them because they have a right to vent their anger but peacefully. We share their sentiments,” said a senior police officer who had earlier on met the organisers of the event.

The officers said the protests may disrupt traffic flow in the city and urged motorists to cooperate.

The activists will be joined by some legislators and will march from Tom Mboya plaque to Harambee Avenue where they will make speeches. The President, Deputy President, interior minister and Inspector General of police’s offices are located on Harambee Avenue. Parliament is also on the same road.

The protests are aimed at pushing the president and his regime to take action on the security docket for the safety of Kenyans in the wake of the Mandera massacre in which 28 people were killed by terrorists on Saturday.

Alshaabab militants attacked a bus travelling from Mandera to Nairobi and killed 28 of the passengers. This incident is the latest in a series of insecurity incidents, which have cost lives.

There is consensus among most of the country’s citizens that the government is not doing enough to deal with insecurity and offer proper protection in general.

Kakamega Senator Bonny Khalwale has confirmed he will attend the march.

“Let us meet at the #OccupyHarambeeAve, #MySecurityMyRight,” said Khalwale in a tweet.

Many other followers on social media said they will attend the protest. The protesters will be provided with t-shirts with “Tumechoka” (we are tired) writings on them.

Opposition leaders have demanded the overhaul of security agencies saying they are responsible for the deaths in insecurity incidents.

They named the Kapedo attacks in which 25 police officers died, Mpeketoni one in which more than 100 Kenyans were slain, Westgate terror attack in which more than 70 people were killed and the Mandera killing of 28 people amongst others.