Kimaiyo: Hold rallies far from Madaraka venues
Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo. Inspector-General of Police David Kimaiyo has disowned his earlier statement in which he banned all political rallies. PHOTO/FILE
What you need to know:
- These remarks have been interpreted as a police force overstepping its mandate in questioning the individuals' basic freedoms and rights of expression and association.
- A statement he issued earlier on Tuesday cancelled all political meetings and processions until further notice citing the Public Order Act.
- Legislators across the political divide immediately tore into the directive saying it was ill-motivated with Cord vowing to defy the ban.
Inspector-General of Police David Kimaiyo disowned his earlier statement in which he banned all political rallies.
In a telephone conversation with the Nation, Mr Kimaiyo cited security concerns and refined his earlier directive by asking that political rallies be hosted away from venues of the Madaraka Day celebrations.
“We can allow them to hold rallies outside these areas we are planning these functions.
We are just saying that rallies can continue as long as they don’t interfere with preparations of 1st (of June), that is the Madaraka Day.
You cannot go and hold a rally next to where celebrations are being held” he said.
NOT ENOUGH STAFF
Mr Kimaiyo stopped short of admitting that his force doesn’t have sufficient number of officers to effectively police all events.
“We have not indefinitely banned any political rallies or any rallies for that matter.
I want to make it very clear that the security assessment that we have done so far…gives us an indication that as we work towards the preparation of this week’s Madaraka Day celebrations, we require a number of security personnel to provide security in general.”
“As at now, we may not be able to co-ordinate the basic security operations and the political rallies that may be there.”
Appearing on a local TV station's Tuesday evening news show, Kimaiyo questioned the need for political rallies as this was not a campaign period.
OVERSTEPPING MANDATE
These remarks have been interpreted to mean the police force is overstepping its mandate in questioning the individuals' basic freedoms and rights of expression and association.
A statement he issued earlier Tuesday stated that all political meetings and processions had been cancelled until further notice citing the Public Order Act.
Legislators across the political divide immediately tore into the directive saying it was ill-motivated with Cord vowing to defy the ban.
They said they would go ahead with their planned rallies to welcome their leader who is due to arrive this weekend from a two-month tour of the US.
Jubilee also said they would go on with theirs as they had spent immense resources planning for it.
The latest remarks by Mr Kimaiyo come barely a fortnight after his controversial vehicle tint ban.
