President William Ruto troops threatened to instigate civilian arrest of opposition chief Raila Odinga as they move to introduce a bill to tame protests.
Led by Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa and his Mbeere North counterpart Geoffrey Ruku, they gave police IG Japhet Koome a 24-hour ultimatum to arrest the former prime minister.
“If the police do not arrest Raila within 24 hours, we want to ask our supporters, Kenya Kwanza supporters, to arrest Raila and take him to the nearest police station,” Barasa said.
The leaders addressed a press conference at Parliament Buildings on Wednesday.
This came at the height of nationwide protests. The demonstrations turned chaotic in many parts of the country as the protesters engaged the police in running battles.
The Kimilili MP faulted the police for failing to arrest Raila and hold him liable for the destruction witnessed during the demos.
Barasa asked their supporters to come out and defend themselves and protect their property from destruction.
MP Ruku told Police IG Japhet Koome to apprehend Raila or they will mobilise their supporters to swing into action.
Failure to do so, Ruku said they will start a forum and trigger processes to have their supporters arrest the opposition leader and his troops.
Ruku has sponsored a Bill that he says will regulate and tame violent and destructive protests led by the opposition.
The Assembly, Demonstrations, Picketing and Petitions Bill, 2023, puts liability on the shoulders of organisers or demos and protests in the event of destructions, injuries and loss lives.
“It's high time we put effect to Article 37 of the Constitution to provide that those who demonstrate and picketing should do so in a peaceful manner,” Ruku said.
“This Bill proposes that if you organise demos and they are not peaceful, then you should be held liable,” he added.
The Bill gives the police the powers to okay demonstrations and stiff penalties for those that engage in outlawed processions.
“A regularity officer or any police officers of or above the rank of inspector or prevent the holding of any assembly or demonstrations held contrary to the provisions of this section,” the Bill states.
The proposed law provides that the organisers of the demos and processions will seek permission from the police.
The demos, its states, shall be restricted to a specific locality at specified time.
“A person intending to convene an assembly or demonstrations shall notify the regulating officer of such intent at least three days but no more than 14 days before the proposed date of the assembly or demonstrations,” it says.
The organisers, the Bill states, shall hire marshals to control the crowd or seek police help.
“The organiser of an assembly or demonstration or his authorised agent shall be present throughout the assembly or demonstration and shall assist the police in the maintenance of peace and order at the assembly or demonstration,” it states.
“A person who takes part in an unlawful assembly or demonstration or holds, convenes or organises or is concerned in the holding, convening of such assembly shall be guilty of an offence,” it adds.
The proposed law stipulates that any person who takes part in outlawed demonstration, hinders or restricts police officer shall have committed an offence who penalty is Sh100,000 fine or one year in jail or both.