Central Police Station OCS Moses Mutayi now says all manner of demonstrations, picketing or processions are banned in Nairobi for security reasons.
In a letter to Justice for Jeff Initiative who had notified him of their plan to demonstrate in the CBD on Friday, the OCS advised the lobby group to contact his office "in the near future" over the matter.
"Subject to the same, this office do hereby inform you that for the time being demonstrations, and picketing is not allowed for security reasons," Mutayi said.
Justice for Jeff Initiative had written to the OCS on March 21 requesting security during their demonstrations on Friday.
The group said they wanted to express their displeasure over the death of interior designer Jeff Mwathi who died on February 23 under mysterious circumstances.
"The demonstrations will be peaceful to ensure that the public outcry is heard and the arrest made for those suspected to have committed the crime," the letter signed by Peter Kio said.
The group had planned to demonstrate in the CBD, outside Parliament and at the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Reports initially said Jeff committed suicide by throwing himself from the 12th floor of an apartment in Kasarani estate but preliminary forensic investigations cited murder.
The move by the OCS to ban protests in Nairobi now puts Azimio twin demonstrations slated for Monday and Thursday next week in limbo.
Azimio on Wednesday notified the police of their intention to hold the demos and on subsequent Mondays and Thursdays thereafter.
However, Nairobi Regional Police Commander Adamson Bungei in response said the notice served to him was done improperly.
He advised the Raila Odinga-led outfit to serve the Central Police police boss with the notice.
"We have procedures on how we serve the letters for protest or picketing, as guided by the law," he said.
Under Section 2 of the Public Order Act, Bungei said, it's the officer in charge of a police station where processions are expected to be who is supposed to be served with notices on demos.
He said his office is a regional command where "we dispense services to the police stations”.
“Therefore, in this matter related to the issue of protests, it has to be served to the police station. We are not saying that we refuse to picket or not, we are guided by the law," Bungei added.
Executive Council Chairman Wycliffe Oparanya said their procession will take place on all major streets in the Nairobi Central Business District, and Bungei needed to deploy enough police officers for security.
