The Kenya National Commission for Human Rights (KNCHR) Chairperson Claris Awuor Oganga has called on the state to ban protests near critical infrastructure to reduce deaths.

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While speaking at the Katiba at 16 event at KICC on August 27, she explained that although the right to picket and demonstrate remains protected, a worrying grey area has emerged in which criminal elements hijack otherwise genuine protests for their own gain.

“It's important to regulate so that on the side of the citizens they understand that these are my responsibilities as far as my right to demonstrate is,” Oganga stated.

Adding, “I think if you look at it globally, a place like parliament, a place like the judiciary, a place like a state house, if you look at international best practices, those are buildings that are considered of national security and citizens are not allowed to protest around those areas.”

📌 What You Need to Know

According to her, the goal of any new regulation would simply be to separate law-abiding Kenyans exercising their rights from opportunists bent on causing chaos.

She pointed to June 2024 as an example, noting that although many Kenyans took to the streets for genuine reasons, those who stormed Parliament crossed into criminality.

Oganga further stressed that regulating protests should never be mistaken for curtailing them, but rather understood as a way of drawing clear boundaries for everyone involved.

Kenya has several highly protected buildings and compounds, including Statehouse, Parliament Buildings, military installations, Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) premises and other strategic government facilities, where access is strictly controlled.

Protection also extends to heritage buildings designated for their historical or architectural significance. Such sites differ from security-sensitive facilities, with restrictions determined by their legal status and purpose.

These comments come at a time when the country has been healing from the June 2024 protests that saw more than 60 killed by police , with some of these killings happening near the Parliament buildings.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke