CS Duale now announces KDF deployment to all 47 counties
The government has approved the deployment of
the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) across all 47 counties to help reinforce
security following the aftermath of the anti-Finance Bill protests.
Defence
Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, in a gazette notice dated June 28, said the
military would be deployed to the rest of the country to support the National
Police Service in securing key government infrastructures in accordance with the
law.
The
CS cited the Constitution and the High Court ruling which has since okayed
the deployment of the armed forces, adding that the operation shall continue
until normalcy is restored.
“Pursuant to Article 241 (3) (b) of the
Constitution of Kenya, 2010 read with sections 31 (1) (a), 31 (1) (c), 33 (1),
34 (1) and 34 (2) 35 the Kenya Defence Forces Act, the KDF deployed on the 25th
June 2024 in support of the National Police Service in response to the security
emergency caused by violent protests in various parts of the Republic of Kenya
resulting in destruction and breach of critical infrastructure,” stated Duale.
“Further
to the orders of the Court in High Court Constitutional and Human Rights
Petition Number 307 of 2024, it is notified for the general information of the
public that based on the prevailing threats to national security planned and
orchestrated through various platforms in the cyberspace, the deployment will
cover the forty-seven counties within the Republic of Kenya where critical
installations and infrastructure are located in order to assist the National
Police Service preserve life, preserve the internal security of the State,
protect property as well as maintain law and order.”
The
development comes a day after High Court Judge Lawrence Mugambi ruled
on a petition filed by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) challenging the
deployment of the KDF to restore order after the June 25 anti-Finance Bill
protests.
Judge
Mugambi greenlighted the deployment and ordered that the terms of the deployment
be gazetted within two days.
"Continuation
of military assistance is necessary in view of the need to preserve order and
protect military infrastructure," stated the judge.
On
Tuesday, the National Assembly convened a special sitting to
approve the request by the Defence Council to deploy KDF amid the anti-Finance
Bill protests across the country.
According
to the Supplementary Order Paper slated for Wednesday, June 26, the action was
in line with Article 241 of the Constitution which requires approval from
Parliament before deployment of KDF is enacted.
Tuesday's #OccupyParliament protests saw
youths storm the House and wreak havoc during the demonstrations.
The
ceremonial mace, which symbolizes the authority of the legislature, was stolen,
some parts of the Parliament building vandalised and a section of it set on
fire.
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