Top security officials met Monday to discuss the way forward ahead of a planned showdown over proposed taxes.
More protests are planned in the country to oppose the Finance Bill 2024 as Members of Parliament plan to vote on the same.
Concerned and fearing the situation may get out of hand, the top security bosses under the National Security Advisory Committee met Monday June 24 to discuss how they will handle the situation.
Insiders said the opinion was divided among the officials on how to handle the protests with majority deciding to deploy more personnel to guard Parliament, State House and other key installations.
The meeting was informed some MPs who voted for the Bill in the second reading are facing threats at various levels and need protection.
This means they need their homes and other property they own to be protected, which stretches the security operations at large.
The military, National Police Service, National Intelligence Service and other civilians in the security sector attended the meeting at the Office of the President, Harambee House.
They had also held their separate meetings and came up with what they had gathered to share as multi-agencies.
Insiders said some top military personnel had canceled their trips abroad to fly back home over the protests.
For instance, one commander who was in Paris, France was recalled home. Another military boss who was scheduled to fly to Malawi for a meeting had to cancel the trip.
Many other commanders who were on leave were told to report to work over fears the protests may get out of hand in the hands of demoralized police.
Some top officials in government including civil servants, police, military and others are silently supporting the protests because they have no option, intelligence reports show.
The meeting was informed some of the protesters are children of civil servants and hence there is a form of sympathy from those engaged in quelling the same.
“These are children of civil servants who feel oppressed and now are out on behalf of their parents. And that is where the problem is,” said a senior security official.
The meeting ended with those in attendance concluding the need to be civil in handling the protesters but ensuring protection of key installations.
Those in attendance planned to brief president William Ruto on their agreements amid fears he may overrule them.
Ruto had said he is ready to engage the protesters but it is not clear how and where that will be done.
He was slated to attend a security event in Embakasi, Nairobi, officials said.
The issue of select abduction on some of those seen as luminaries in the protests was not discussed.
Some officials think this move will scare the protesters not to turn up for the protests.
Monday, June 24, is the day to make a courtesy call to all members of parliament who voted ‘Yes’ to the Finance Bill.
A nationwide strike dubbed #TotalShutdownKE is on Tuesday, June 25, scheduled to take place across all counties, especially in Nairobi’s central business district.
Nationwide protests against the punitive Finance Bill 2024 attracted international eyeballs last week with many supporting the move to shoot down the Bill.
The protests are set to continue this week until the climax on Thursday where Gen Zs have warned that they will block main roads leading to Nairobi and march to State House under the slogan #OccupyStateHouse.
A poster widely shared on social platforms revealed that the day will be when President William Ruto is expected to sign the Finance Bill into law, if it sails through parliament, Gen Zs say they will be going to ‘witness Ruto sign our lives into slavery’.
The protests went on at the weekend in churches and clubs.
Video clips from Saturday night show club MCs and DJs expertly conducting the sessions – at Platinum 7D in Nakuru, DJ Grauchi told patrons, “Tunaanza like this…” and then played Juliani’s ‘Utawala’.
At Yatch Lounge in Mtwapa, DJ Joe Mfalme led Kenyans in observing a moment of silence for murdered protester Rex Kanyike, asking revelers to light up their phone flashlights too.
June 23, was set as the day to ‘deplatform politicians in all churches’.
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