Trade Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui has weighed in on the ongoing debate over protests ahead of Saba Saba Day celebrations scheduled for Monday, July 7, 2025.

In a statement on Saturday night, July 5, 2025, Lee Kinyanjui argued that as much as the right to picket is guaranteed in the 2010 promulgated constitution, it should not be misused to destroy property.

Lee indicated that businesspeople also need to be protected from violent protests, which have in recent times left them counting massive losses.

“If we want to protect the right to picket, we must also respect other provisions in the same Constitution. Damage to property and loss of life are unacceptable. They negate the very Constitution that protects the right to protest,” Lee’s statement read in part.

“The exercise of this right must not be hijacked by criminal elements, but unfortunately, this has become a trend,” he added.

Investing climate

The Trade CS warned that the nature of violent protests witnessed in the country would make it difficult for capitalists to pump their money into different ventures.

He detailed that with protests almost every week, business owners are forced to shut down their ventures for fear of losing their property.

Unless addressed, Lee maintained that investors would shy away from putting their money in various businesses, which in turn could take a toll on the economy.

“Business owners live in fear of victimisation and the potential for violence. The cost of shutting down businesses for days to accommodate protests makes Kenya seem unreliable and a dangerous place to invest in. I doubt any right-thinking Kenyan would advocate for such outcomes,” the Trade CS reiterated.

Lee called for proper dialogue to address the issue regarding protests and the need to protect property.

“Let’s take a deep breath and reflect on the consequences of our actions, both current and future, and refrain from actions that are divisive and potentially dangerous. We must halt the race to the bottom. It pulls the whole nation down.”

Passaris proposal

Already, Nairobi Women Representative Esther Passaris is proposing to cordon off protests to designated zones. Her proposed Public Order (Amendment) Bill, 2025, also seeks to demarcate areas of assembly and protest zones to prevent the destruction of property.

Her proposed bill also grants the Interior Cabinet Secretary and county governments the authority to designate demonstration zones.

So far, the bill has attracted uproar from a section of stakeholders.