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The anti-government protests which were planned to take place yesterday failed to materialise even as the High Court issued orders setting aside an order by the Police banning any demonstrations across the country.

Most major cities and towns across the country remained calm despite the heavy deployment of police officers to thwart any planned protests.

In Nairobi, there was heavy deployment of security officers especially at Uhuru Park grounds following reports that the Gen-Z protestors planned to occupy the historic grounds.

The cities of Mombasa, Nakuru, Kisumu and Eldoret remained clam but with a heavy deployment of security officers, as opposed to Tuesday when the protestors turned up in their thousands to demand the resignation of the government.     

Other towns which had witnessed the Tuesday protests like Kisii, Nyamira, Kakamega, Karatina, Homa Bay, Migori and Siaya also remained calm.

 At the High Court, Justice Bahati Mwamuye issued orders restraining the acting Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, in the discharge of law enforcement functions, from applying or enforcing the ban on the protests.

Kanja had on Wednesday night banned any protests within Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) and its surroundings until further notice.

The Inspector General, in a statement, claimed that the police service had received credible intelligence that organised criminal groups were planning to take advantage of the ongoing protests to execute their attacks which included looting and vandalism.

He pointed out that criminals have continued to infiltrate the protesting groups, resulting in a troubling trend of disorderly and destructive conduct, people have been injured, lives lost, property and businesses destroyed, and livelihoods lost. “Acting on this information and in accordance with international security standards for public assemblies, no demonstrations will be permitted in the CBD area and its surroundings until further notice to ensure public safety,” Kanja said.

He further attributed his claims to the lack of a designated leader to coordinate, collaborate and cooperate with the police for peaceful demonstrations, citing that the lack of designated leadership in previous demonstrations has made it difficult to enforce safety protocols.

Crime detection

The police service therefore appealed to the members of the public to remain vigilant in crowded areas and to support their collective safety and security by sharing any information that could aid the police in crime detection and prevention.

The Communications Authority also warned media houses against airing any clips that fuelled the protests.

“Recent protests and ensuing violence, loss of lives and destruction of property have highlighted instances where licensed media entities have compromised objectivity and balance in the reporting of crime, security operations and/or crisis situations. The Authority further noted with concern that some media entities aired images of dead/and or seriously wounded people without censuring or blurring out images,” warned CA Chief Executive Officer David Mugonyi.

Content dissemination

“The said conduct is in violation of Articles 3392) and 34(1) of the Constitution, the Kenya Information and Communications Act, 1998, programming Code for Broadcasting Services as well as the Preservation of the Public Security Act 2012,” he added.

He warned that the government would crack down on any media house that violated the laws.

“All media houses are hereby CAUTIONED that dissemination of content that runs afoul to the constitution, the Kenya Information and Communications Act, 1998, programming Code for Broadcasting Services as well as the Preservation of the Public Security Act 2012 is unlawful and will result in enforcement action,” read the statement.

Exiled political activist Miguna Miguna took to social media to protest the police ban on the protests.  “You have no power to ban protests. The constitution vests the power to protest anywhere at any time for any reason on the people,” he posted on his X account.