Acting Police Inspector General Douglas Kanja Kirocho cautioned protesters on Tuesday against attempting to enter any protected areas while the anti-government demonstrations are ongoing. In a press briefing, IG Kanja indicated that intelligence reports suggest the current protests involve disorderly actions by criminals.
“Based on credible intelligence, the current protests have become a haven for goons, motivated and opportunistic offenders who plan to loot and destroy property of hardworking kenyans,”
He was speaking against the backdrop of calls from Kenyan youth to occupy Kenya’s premier airport, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, in protest of the Ruto administration.
“The service reiterates that protected areas are out of bounds as indicated in the Protected Areas Act,”
According to the police chief, all areas designated as protected, including the LPG and Bitumen plants and petroleum depots at the Embakasi Aviation Depot —JKIA, are off-limits to unauthorised personnel.
He went on to say that the Kenya Civil Aviation Act makes it illegal to trespass on any land that is part of a government aerodrome or an aerodrome.
“Haitakubalika kuingia kwa kiwanja ya ndege kama huna ruhusa, hiyo haitakubalika,” the police boss said.
“Nataka nikumbushe wakenya ya kwamba hatuna nchi ingine, ni Kenya tu na tuko na jukumu ya kuhakikisha kwamba nchi yetu iko na amani na iko sawa sawa,”
Since President William Ruto withdrew the controversial Finance Bill 2024 late last month, protests have persisted, with demonstrators demanding a complete government overhaul and, in some cases, his resignation.
Protesters have organized a Tuesday march to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) under the banner ‘OccupyJKIA’, following previous marches titled ‘OccupyParliament’ and ‘OccupyCBD’ in Nairobi’s city center.
