Gov't orders closure of schools in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu over Azimio demos

The government has ordered the closure of all-day primary and secondary schools in Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu ahead of anti-government demonstrations set to be staged by the Azimio opposition coalition from Wednesday this week.

In a joint statement signed by Interior CS Prof. Kithure Kindiki and his Education counterpart Ezekiel Machogu, the two ministers noted that credible intelligence reports have revealed plans by a number of rogue elements to attack specific schools in the two counties in order to 'unleash terror and violence on the public' during the demos. 

"The Government has received credible security intelligence that criminal elements intend to engage in armed skirmishes with security agencies around certain schools within Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu," reads the statement seen by Citizen Digital. 

"As a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of school children, it has been decided that ALL day Primary and Secondary schools within Nairobi and Mombasa cities SHALL remain closed tomorrow."

The Education Ministry will announce the resumption of learning in the aforesaid schools upon assessment of the security situation in the course of Wednesday.

The statement by the two CS' was preceded by a communiqué from Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome which declared the planned Azimio protests as illegal.

According to Koome, the Raila Odinga-led faction had by Tuesday evening not made any formal notification to the police on the planned gatherings.

He thus warned Kenyans against participating in the demos saying the police would accordingly deal with demonstrators.