Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris has defended a proposed bill seeking to ban public protests near key government institutions, including Parliament, State House, and the Judiciary.
Passaris said the move is necessary in light of growing security concerns and the destruction witnessed during recent demonstrations.
“Public calls to invade Parliament and State House circulated online… These are not peaceful protests. Rights have been turned into ruins,” she said, referencing alarming messages that spread online ahead of the latest protests in Nairobi.
While acknowledging that the right to protest is protected under the Constitution, Passaris stressed that the right must be exercised responsibly.
She cited Article 24 of the Constitution, which allows for the limitation of certain rights and freedoms “by law, and only to the extent that the limitation is reasonable and justifiable in an open and democratic society based on human dignity, equality and freedom.”
Last week’s protests were held to commemorate young Kenyans, many of them Gen Z, who died during last year’s anti-Finance Bill demonstrations.
Though the protest began peacefully, it later turned confrontational, with clashes reported between protesters and police.
Government buildings across the country were affected. Kikuyu Law Courts, Nyandarua Police Station, and county government offices were targeted.
The chaos mirrored last year’s protest during which Parliament was vandalised.
By June 27, 2025, authorities had confirmed 19 deaths and 531 injuries linked to the demonstrations.
There were also reports of 15 enforced disappearances and 179 arrests.
The report further documented two cases of individual rape, two of gang rape, and one attempted gang rape.
Passaris said the bill aims to prevent a repeat of such incidents.
“The bill is a direct response to that crisis,” she stated.
“While many demonstrators come with noble intentions, it takes only a few rogue actors to turn legitimate rights into violent, dangerous acts.”
