Hold demonstrations without trampling on rights of children

Anti-riot police officers escort school going children during Azimio la Umoja anti-government protests in Mathare. [Collins Kweyu, Standard]

Article 37 of the Constitution provides the right for every Kenyan to peaceably and unarmed, assemble, demonstrate, picket, and to present petitions to public authorities. The same right is also guaranteed under regional and international human rights instruments ratified by Kenya, including Article 11 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Banjul Charter) and Article 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

A protest, also called a demonstration, remonstration or remonstrance is a public expression to the authorities of objection, disapproval or dissent towards an idea or action, typically a political one. The completeness, therefore of demonstrations is when authorities respond to the plight of the people by addressing what they raised. What we may not be aware of is whether our current demonstrations and protests are communicative and if they are, if the message has been received by the recipients.