Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome has published the names of 19 men he wants to be declared as specified entities in the country over alleged links to terror activities.
In a notice released on Tuesday, the IG asked Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki to list the 19, including three foreigners, as specified entities in line with the Prevention of Terrorism Act of 2012.
As per the 2012 law, one can be declared a specified entity if the IG has reasonable ground to believe that the individuals have committed or are preparing to commit a terror activity.
Attempts to commit or commission acts of terror on their behalf or under the instructions of someone else would warrant the IG to push for the declaration.
The three foreigners listed in the list include two Tanzania nationals and a Congolese.
Also included in the lists were refugees whose identities were published in the local newspapers.
Further, any of the individuals opposed to the proposed declaration were advised to make their appeal in writing to the National Police Service (NPS).
"In accordance with section 3 of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (No,30 of 2012), the Inspector General of Police notifies the entities set out in the list hereunder to demonstrate within (7) days from the date of publication of this notice why they should not be declared as Specified Entity.
"The written responses may be emailed to (corporatecommunications@nationalpolice.go.ke) or by hand delivery to Jogoo House A, Ground floor, Taifa Road, Nairobi no later than 13th November 2023," read the notice in part.
Should the 19 fail to clear their name by the set timeline, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki will move to have the individuals declared as specified entities.
However, the law provides for the declarations to be challenged in court.
"The Cabinet Secretary shall, in consultation with the Inspector-General and within a period of twelve months from the commencement of this Act and every subsequent year, review all the orders made under subsection (3) to determine whether the grounds for declaring an entity as a specified entity apply with respect to that entity and may revoke the order or issue such orders as he considers appropriate," reads to acts in part.
