No hooded, masked and plain cloth police during protests, court rules

Police arrest a protester during anti-tax demonstrations along Kimathi Street in Nairobi, on July 16, 2024. [File, Standard]

The High Court has barred the Inspector General of Police from deploying officers in civilian clothes or with concealed identities to manage public protests in the country.

In a landmark judgment delivered on Wednesday, Justice Bahati Mwamuye ruled that all police officers assigned to handle public assemblies, demonstrations, or picketing must be in official uniform and remain identifiable at all times.