Human right group to challenge dusk-to-dawn curfew orders in court

Garissa residents in a meeting called by religious leaders a few days after a terrorist attack at Garissa University College. A human rights group has said it will move to court to challenge an ongoing curfew imposed on Garissa, Wajir, Mandera and Tana River counties following the attack. PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Haki na Sheria Coordinator Bare Kerow said their lawyers had written to police IG Joseph Boinett asking him to shed light on the curfew orders.
  • He added that there was confusion after the initial curfew period ended yet there was no formal communication on the same.
  • In the curfew orders, people living in the four counties were directed to remain indoors from 6pm in the evening to 6am in the morning.
  • Mr Kerow said the IG ought to explain to the public the relevance of curfew as is reasonable in a democratic and open society.

A human rights group working in north eastern Kenya has said it will move to court on Friday to compel the government to lift the curfew imposed on four counties by the Inspector-General of Police a month ago.

Speaking to the Nation at their offices in Garissa Wednesday, Haki na Sheria Coordinator Bare Kerow said their lawyers had written to police IG Joseph Boinett asking him to shed light on the curfew orders.

He said that there was confusion after the initial curfew period ended yet there was no formal communication on the same.

“Our lawyers had written to the Inspector-General of police for explanation.

“But now that the curfew has been extended for another month, we shall definitely go to court to seek legal redress," he said.

He said their lawyers were preparing documents to be filed in the Garissa Law Courts on Friday.

He claimed that the residents’ rights to freedom of movement under Article 39 and to worship under Article 32 had been severely curtailed by the continued enforcement of the curfew.

Mr Kerow said the IG ought to explain to the public the relevance of curfew as is reasonable in a democratic and open society.

CURFEW EXTENDED

This comes just five days after Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery, in a Gazette notice, extended the curfew in the four counties of Garissa, Wajir, Mandera and Tana River by one Month.

The curfew was first imposed on the four counties from April 3 to 16 by IG Boinett after gunmen believed to be Al-Shabaab terrorists from neighbouring Somalia attacked Garissa University College killing 148 people, amongst them students from the institution.

In the curfew orders, people living in the four counties were directed to remain indoors from 6pm in the evening to 6am in the morning.

The human rights group says the curfew has led to a serious negative impact on the socio-economic activities and livelihoods of the people living in the four counties.