MPs demand withdrawal of Police around Parliament

By Moses Muli

Published: June 20,2024 12:30 PM

National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi has demanded the withdrawal of police around parliament over planned protests.

Speaking in Parliament, Wandayi said the heavy police presence around Parliament Buildings was making it difficult for MPs to access the House.

He said legislators coming to debate on the Finance Bill, 2024 need access.

“The House is not full and some members are finding it difficult to pass through the police blockades to access the House. I have personally had to struggle to get here,” Wandayi said.

“This house symbolizes our democracy. No one in this country has the authority to establish a blockade around Parliament.”

The Minority Leader said the police barricade is like the setup of a military installation.

Wandayi who was seeking the intervention of Speaker Moses Wetang’ula on the matter then asked him to direct the Inspector General to have the officers withdrawn.

“Direct the Inspector General of Police to withdraw the officers who have turned this house into what resembles a military installation,” Wandayi said.

On Thursday morning, police officers were deployed at Parliament and surrounding areas to man and ensure no civilians access it.

Police vehicles including lorries and water canons have also been deployed and are being used to block the roads leading to parliament.

The officers have been deployed to confront groups of the “occupy Parliament” protesters.

The protesters, mostly the young generation have vowed to march in various parts of the country to oppose the Finance Bill 2024.

Many shops were closed in the Nairobi CBD and very few people are in town.

The protests, led by youths (Gen Z) began on Tuesday in Nairobi and on Wednesday in Mombasa.

On Thursday (Today), Nairobi will have another wave of the Occupy Parliament protests, while Kisumu and Laikipia among others will also make known their stand against the Finance Bill, 2024.

Ahead of the first protest on Tuesday, the ruling Kenya Kwanza dropped some of the taxes that led to the protests including the motor vehicle tax and eco levy among others.

A section of Kenyans has however insisted that they want the entire Bill rejected.