Nairobi, July 1- Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris has tabled a controversial bill seeking to ban public demonstrations within 100 metres of Parliament, courts, and other designated protected areas—a move that could significantly alter how and where protests take place in Kenya.
The Public Order (Amendment) Bill 2025, introduced just days after the violent June 25 demonstrations, proposes stricter limits on protest locations in response to recent unrest. If passed, the legislation would also give the Interior Cabinet Secretary the power to designate specific zones for public demonstrations, in consultation with county governments.
“A person who contravenes the provisions of this section commits an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding Ksh100,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months, or both,” the bill states.
Under Kenya’s current Public Order Act (Cap. 56), protest organisers are required to notify the police at least three days in advance with details on the date, location, and time of the gathering. However, Passaris’ proposed amendments would introduce additional geographic restrictions, effectively outlawing protests near high-security institutions and confining them to officially sanctioned “safe” areas.
The bill appears to be a direct response to the chaotic scenes witnessed during the June 25 protests, which were held in honour of demonstrators killed during last year’s anti-government rallies. The recent protests, largely youth-led under the Gen Z movement, escalated into violence in several parts of the country, with public buildings including Kikuyu Law Courts and several police stations—reportedly vandalised or set on fire.
More than 400 people were arrested nationwide and now face serious charges ranging from terrorism, arson, and robbery with violence to rape, incitement, and possession of illegal firearms.
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