Court suspends police ban on Nairobi protests

Nairobi, July 19:  A Kenyan court has overturned a police-imposed ban on protests in Nairobi, asserting that citizens have the constitutional right to demonstrate peacefully. The High Court’s decision on Thursday came after the police indefinitely prohibited protests, citing concerns over a lack of leadership to ensure the demonstrations remained peaceful.

The court issued a “conservatory order” halting the enforcement of the ban, pending a final ruling. A follow-up hearing is scheduled for July 29. The suspension occurred just before a planned protest where demonstrators intended to march to the president’s office to demand his resignation over alleged poor governance.

Acting Police Inspector General Douglas Kanja explained that the absence of organized leadership made it challenging to maintain safety protocols during the protests. Although no protesters were visible on Thursday, major roads leading to the president’s office were barricaded by police.

The recent wave of protests began in mid-June in response to a controversial finance bill proposing higher taxes amid an economic crisis. Over the past month, demonstrations have resulted in at least 50 deaths, according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights. In response to public outcry, President William Ruto initially rejected the finance bill but later dismissed almost his entire Cabinet and the attorney general following demands from protesters who accused officials of corruption and mismanagement.

On Thursday, some businesses in Nairobi remained closed in anticipation of further protests. The government has reported economic losses of 6 billion Kenyan shillings ($45 million) due to the ongoing unrest.

The police have faced accusations of brutality, leading to the resignation of former Inspector General Japhet Koome on July 12. The Independent Policing Oversight Authority has forwarded four out of ten cases of police violence to the director of public prosecutions for further action, after gathering witness statements and requesting testimonies from various officers.