Human rights activists under The Social Justice Working Group (SJWG) announced that they will proceed with demonstrations against the high cost of living despite police declining to grant them permits.
On Monday, August 7, the activists reiterated that they would stage protests in the Nairobi Central Business District from 1 p.m. and urged police to provide security as they present their petitions to public authorities.
The activists will demonstrate along Muindi Mbingu Street, Kenyatta Avenue, Moi Avenue, Harambee Avenue and Parliament Road.
“We are appealing to your office to accord us security,” the group requested in the letter addressed to Nairobi County police commander Adamson Bungei.
Why Police Opposed the Protests
Central Police Station OCS Moses Mutayi argued that the activists had conducted similar protests on June 6 and July 7 without notifying the regulating officer as required by the law.
He also alleged that the protests culminated in the destruction of property, with police also injured in the scuffles that ensued.
“The regulating officer thus informs you that your demonstrations will not be allowed to be conducted on the said time and place for security concerns,” OCS Mutayi declined to grant The Social Justice Working Group permission to demonstrate in the City.
Their Right to Picket
The state agency, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), faulted the OCS for preventing SJWG from holding peaceful rallies.
The independent National Human Rights Institution further called out Mutayi for claiming that the group had in the past held demonstrations without a permit.
“KNCHR has reviewed the reasons you have given to disallow the SJWG event tomorrow and is of the considered view that they do not meet the reasonable and justifiable basis required by Art.24 of the Constitution,” the Commission stated.
As such, KNCHR sought reassurance from the Central Police Station that the protestors would be accorded security and allowed to picket and demonstrate.
The planned protests are poised to occur a day after President Wiliam Ruto warned opposition leaders that the government would only proceed with talks centred around lowering the cost of living if they agreed to call off demonstrations.
However, the opposition was adamant that it would return to the streets if the talks failed to proceed or were derailed.
