The government 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 military was initially deployed in Nairobi and Nakuru where protesters were marching over proposed taxes.
They were deployed on June 25, the day the protesters occupied parliament in protest against the taxes.
This was hours after a section of Members of Parliament passed the Finance Bill 2024. President William Ruto later declined to sign the bill following pressure from various parties.
Duale 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,” said 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.”
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 okayed 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 Wednesday, 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.
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.
However, Speaker Moses Wetangula claimed the mace stolen was a dummy one.
Goons took advantage of the situation to loot property in the city. More than 20 people have died in the protests and dozens injured.