The Motorists Association of Kenya has issued five demands to the government ahead of the planned Saba Saba protests scheduled for Monday, July 7.
In a statement released on Saturday, July 5, the association asserted that protests were not a favour from the government, but a Constitutional right enshrined in Article 37 of the Constitution of Kenya.
“It is therefore the duty of the government, through the National Police Service, to facilitate these rights, not to frustrate, endanger, or criminalize them,” the association stated.
Consequently, the association demanded that on Saba Saba and in all future protests, the police must provide safe passage for peaceful protesters and ensure they are shielded from hired goons and criminals.
Also, the lobby group called for shops and businesses to be protected so that commerce could continue without fear or interference. This was in addition to demanding that public transport must operate freely, and motorists must be guaranteed safe passage through the city and its outskirts.
The police were also urged to stop using excessive force, tear gas, or live ammunition on unarmed citizens under any circumstances.
Additionally, the motorists urged the police to act professionally, in line with the spirit of the National Police Service, not as a force of intimidation or brutality.
The association cited the June 25 protests, where they claimed that peaceful protests were violently disrupted by police, tear gas, brutality, and the infiltration of hired goons intent on causing chaos.
“Instead of protecting life and property, the police became the very threat from which Kenyans needed protection. Roads were blocked without notice, public transport paralysed, and essential services crippled,” the association criticised.
Further, the association asserted that during protests, the police must guarantee the safety of both protesters and non-protesters, shops, and businesses. They took issue with the blocking of roads and transport corridors during protests, noting that it disrupts transport activities.
Recently, the police confirmed that they did not receive any formal notification about the planned protests on Saba Saba. Speaking during an interview with Citizen TV on Thursday, Police Spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga stated that the National Police Service (NPS) was unaware of planned demonstrations.
He, however, affirmed the right of Kenyans to demonstrate but urged those planning to take to the streets to first seek permission from the police.
Muchiri noted that protesters could find themselves on the wrong side of the law if they resort to holding demonstrations without seeking a formal permit, adding that such illegal protests often descend into chaos and destruction of property.
