National

#OccupyParliament protestors arrested in Nairobi CBD

An #OccupyParliament protestor is arrested outside the Kenya National Archives in Nairobi CBD on June 18, 2024. (Photo: Justine Ondieki)

By Mary Wambui and Maureen Kinyanjui | Tuesday, June 18, 2024

Among those arrested were Hanifa Adan a reporter at The Eastleigh Voice.

A number of protestors were arrested in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) on Tuesday morning ahead of the planned '#Occupy Parliament’ protest.

Among those arrested were Hanifa Adan a reporter at The Eastleigh Voice.

Keep reading

The Eastleigh Voice reporter, Hanifa Adan @Honeyfarsafi arrested in Nairobi CBD during protests against the Finance Bill, 2024, report set to be tabled in Parliament today at 2 pm.

📹: Citizen TV pic.twitter.com/AjE23Cuw0c
— The Eastleigh Voice (@Eastleighvoice) June 18, 2024

Those arrested were along Moi Avenue and near the Kenya National Archives which was to be the assembling point for protestors.

Dressed in black, some of the protestors were distributing the protest t-shirts.

Anti-riot police officers at the Nairobi CBD on June 18, 2024. (Photo: Justine Ondieki)

They were arrested by plain clothes police while some anti-riot police were fully dressed and armed.

The protest, dubbed ‘#Occupy Parliament’, is meant to pressure lawmakers against passing the bill which will be tabled in the National Assembly in the afternoon.

Commuters caught in the incident were also compelled to open their luggage for inspection by the police.

Amnesty International Kenya and other Human Rights Organisations have deployed their trained members to the protest to look out for Human Rights violations as the anti-Finace Bill protest kicks off on Tuesday.

The groups said today's call for Kenyans to assemble outside parliament is in line with the rights of Kenyans to assemble, demonstrate, picket and petition parliament under the Constitution of Kenya Article 37.

An #OccupyParliament protestor is arrested outside the Kenya National Archives in Nairobi CBD on June 18, 2024. (Photo: Hafsa Hassan)

"The focus of the picket is to express the views of Kenyans on the 2024/2025 budget and taxation measures being proposed," Amnesty International Kenya's Executive Director Irungu Houghton said in a statement.

He explained that the protest observers will be documenting and recording the events and what happens outside the assembly.

"We urge authorities to facilitate Kenyans' rights to express themselves and assemble peacefully throughout the course of the day," Irungu urged.

The protests slated for this afternoon have prompted deployment of anti-riot police officers across various points in the city mainly at the entry points to the Central Business District.

The National Police Service has already warned of traffic disruptions as the police try to contain the protestors.

Nairobi area Police Commander Adamson Bungei has claimed that no protest will be allowed in the CBD.

This is despite the leaders of the protest amongst them Boniface Mwangi confirming that notices of the protest were delivered to the police last Saturday.

The controversial Finance bill has been opposed by a majority of Kenyans, corporates and NGOs, the latest in the bandwagon being the Green Belt movement which in a statement on Tuesday said it strongly believes that the measures proposed are not only economically punitive but also counterproductive to climate justice and environmental protection.