Opposition leader Raila Odinga’s team on Wednesday, March 30, served police with a notice for mass protests scheduled for Monday, and Thursday next week.
Addressing the media after handing over the letter to Nairobi Regional Police Headquarters, Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni said every Kenyan has a right to hold demonstrations.
“We have served the letter for our demonstrations on Monday, and Thursday. We are not doing this because we require a permit from police officers to hold demonstrations in this country. It is a right given to every Kenyan under the Constitution,” he said.
However, Nairobi Police Commander Adamson Bungei on Thursday, March 23, dismissed the notice by Azimio to hold their weekly protests.
Bungei, while terming the letter null and void said it had been addressed to the wrong person adding that it failed to meet the legal requirement.
He said the letter ought to have been addressed to the Officer Commanding Station of the area they are planning to have a procession.
“We have procedures on how we serve the letters for protests or picketing, as guided by the law. Under Section 2 of the Public Order Act, it is indicated very clearly who is the regulating officer of the permits to be issued, it is this level of mine, this is a regional command whereby we dispense service to the police stations,” Bungei said.
In the Azimio letter presented by among other leaders former Kakamega governor Wycliffe Oparanya, the opposition notified the police that they will hold peaceful demonstrations and asked the men in uniform to provide them with security.
During the Monday, March 20, protests, police officers were accused of using excessive force to dispense Raila supporters across the country, something that saw several protesters injured while others lost their lives.
