Before you vote: The truth about curfew in Lamu
President Uhuru Kenyatta accompanied by Deputy President William Ruto among other leaders after addressing locals at Mkunguni Square, Lamu Island in Lamu County in this photo taken on 24th May 2017. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT | NATION MEDIA GROUP
“Ile curfew ambaye ilikuwepo, tumeindoa ili Waislamu waweze kuomba (That curfew that was there, we have removed it so Muslims can pray)”
- President Uhuru Kenyatta at a rally in Lamu on May 24, 2017
It is not clear that a curfew was in force in Lamu at the time of the President’s visit. At the recent Faza Cultural Festival, Lamu Women Representative Shakila Abdalla said the last night curfew in Lamu was lifted in 2015.
She is referring to the curfew which was imposed on June 20 2014, and lifted by Judge Said Chitembwe in an April 10, 2015 ruling.
There was also a night fishing ban which had been imposed in 2011, which was lifted on May 1, 2017. This fact was communicated to the Daily Nation by James ole Seriani, who was in charge of the operation to clear Al Shabaab from Boni Forest.
On May 24, there was in fact no curfew or ban to lift in Lamu due to the month of Ramadhan, and so the President cannot have lifted it.
