•Nairobi police boss said the last protests have been marred with violence with demonstrators turning up while armed.
•Azimio Chairman of the Executive Council Wycliffe Oparanya wrote to the police on April 26 notifying police of the planned demos.
Image: HANDOUT
The planned demonstration by Azimio leaders in Nairobi has been outlawed.
Nairobi police boss Adamson Bungei, in a letter, said while the Constitution allows every citizen to peaceably and unarmed, to assemble, to demonstrate, to picket, and to present petitions to public authorities, that right is not absolute.
He said the last protests were marred with violence with demonstrators turning up while armed hence the decision to ban it.
"Previous demonstrations were marred with violence as the demonstrators were armed with machetes, who attacked innocent members of the public who were going about their business resulting in the destruction of property, attacks on members of the general public," Bungei said in a press conference Sunday.
Raila has announced the resumption of nationwide protests beginning Tuesday.
While addressing his supporters in Kibera after jetting back from a weeklong visit to Dubai, Raila said anti-government demonstrations shall continue as scheduled.
“We shall retreat on the demonstration field,” he said.
He said they are going back to the streets because they have not received positive feedback from President William Ruto on their demands.
“We postponed our demonstrations after listening to our Muslim brothers’ pledge for peaceful Ramadan prayers. We also heed the plea of the religious leaders,” Odinga said.
He urged his supporters to take a rest over the weekend and on Labour Day (Monday), to get ready for the demos.
But, according to the police boss, security officers were ready to apply any force to disperse those breaking the law.
Azimio Chairman of the Executive Council Wycliffe Oparanya wrote to the police on April 26 notifying them of the planned demos.
He said that the coalition intends to submit a written petition to Harambee House, Nairobi.
"We, therefore, request your office to deploy enough police officers to guarantee security to attendees and exercise crowd control,” Oparanya said.
He added that the peaceful procession would occur in the streets of Moi Avenue, Kenyatta Avenue, Haile Selassie Avenue, and Harambee Avenue.
"To avoid any confusion, I want to clarify that I am not submitting an application for permission as Article 37 of the Constitution does not contemplate it,” Oparanya said.
The address by the police comes a day after President William Ruto fired a warning to the Opposition leaders saying no more protests will be allowed in the country.
He said he is ready to use his power and full force to ensure the life and property of all Kenyans are protected.
"I am the commander in chief, nyinyi mtajua hamjui...hakuna mali ya wananchi itaharibika tena, hakuna biashara ya mkenya itaharibika tena," Ruto retorted.
The President who spoke in Kakamega Saturday said he has been lenient to the Opposition leaders by giving in to their demands but they have gone ahead to despise him.
"Hawa watu wawache mchezo, si tulimaliza uchaguzi? Si hawa watu ni madharau wanajaribu kunionyesha," he posed.