Police have issued a warning about potential traffic disruptions on certain roads near the Parliament Building on Tuesday, June 18. In an effort to manage the planned protest against the Finance Bill, 2024, outside Parliament in Nairobi, authorities have mobilized additional anti-riot teams.
Deployment will begin at mid-day on Tuesday.
According to sources, police have received orders to “diffuse” the protest from its onset. Consequently, the teams will disperse any groups gathered in the city.
This strategy aims to prevent the protest from gaining momentum and ensure public order is maintained.
“Motorists should also plan well from midday so that they are not caught up in the chaos. We may see more officers in the city and some roads being blocked.”
“Only authorized motor vehicles and persons will be allowed to the said roads which will include Parliament Road,” said an officer who asked not to be named.
Multi-agency teams have been holding meetings to strategize on handling the upcoming protest.
Dubbed Occupy Parliament, the protest is scheduled for Tuesday, June 18, coinciding with the tabling of the Finance Bill, 2024, in the House.
Voting on the Bill is set for Thursday, June 20.
President William Ruto met with a group of Members of Parliament at State House on Tuesday to brief them ahead of the Bill’s tabling.
Following the organizers’ notification to authorities about the protest plans, top police commanders have been holding separate meetings to devise a plan. These meetings have taken place at both police headquarters and the Nairobi Area police command.
There are concerns that protesters may block Members of Parliament from accessing the House. In response, police have announced the deployment of anti-riot teams.
However, one of the organizers, Boniface Mwangi, has denied these claims, stating that their protest aims to be peaceful and convey a message to the legislators.
“We have marshals who will guide the group. Police should have called us to plan together on how we will conduct the business because this issue will also affect them,” he said.
Nairobi police commander Adamson Bungei said they do not know what the group wants and that they fear they will disrupt businesses.
“We are aware and are planning how to handle the situation,” he said.
A recent survey by Infotrak revealed that a significant 87 percent of Kenyans oppose the revenue mobilization measures proposed in the Finance Bill, 2024.
Discontented Kenyans have been organizing on social media under the hashtag #RejectFinanceBill to raise awareness and gather support for a protest scheduled for Tuesday, aimed at occupying Parliament.
Boniface Mwangi is spearheading the mobilization effort, encouraging citizens to rise against over-taxation with a poster circulating on X stating, “Citizens, rise against over-taxation. Reject Finance Bill 2024.”
In preparation for the expected tabling of the Bill in Parliament on Tuesday, the National Assembly’s Finance Committee retreated on Wednesday to finalize a report on the Bill.
The protest organizers have advised participants to come prepared for potential dispersal by police, suggesting they bring placards, handkerchiefs, and bottles of water.
These items are often used by protesters to mitigate the effects of teargas.
The protest is set to begin at 12 pm, with plans to maintain a vigil as Members of Parliament vote at 2:30 pm.
The organizers have called on Inspector General Koome to provide police protection in accordance with Article 37 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to protest and picket.
On Thursday, while presenting the Sh3.92 trillion 2024-25 Budget estimates in Parliament, Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u detailed various tax measures the government intends to implement to raise Sh2.92 trillion locally.
This proposal has created divisions among legislators, who face increasing pressure from the public to reject the Bill.
