Police have warned of possible disruption of traffic flow on some roads near the Parliament Building on Tuesday, June 18.
This will be part of efforts to contain a planned protest outside Parliament in Nairobi to oppose the Finance Bill, 2024.
More anti-riot teams were mobilized in readiness for the deployment to start from mid-day on Tuesday, police said.
Police aware of the situation said they had been ordered to ensure they “diffuse” the protest from the start.
This means the teams will be dispersing any group seen gathered in the city.
“Motorists should also plan well from midday so that they are not caught up in the chaos. We may see more officers in the city and some roads being blocked.”
“Only authorized motor vehicles and persons will be allowed to the said roads which will include Parliament Road,” said an officer who asked not to be named.
Multi-agency teams had been holding meetings to plan how they would handle the protest.
The protest dubbed Occupy Parliament is planned for Tuesday, June 18 when the Bill is expected to be tabled in the House.
The voting on the Bill is expected on Thursday, June 20.
President William Ruto met a group of Members of Parliament at State House on Tuesday for a briefing ahead of the tabling of the Bill.
After the organisers notified the authorities of the plans to hold the protest, top police commanders have been meeting separately to discuss the way forward.
The teams had been meeting at police headquarters and Nairobi Area police command separately.
There are fears the protesters may block the Members of Parliament from accessing the House, police said adding there will be deployment of anti-riot teams.
But one of the organisers Boniface Mwangi denied the claims saying their protest would be peaceful to pass a message to the legislators.
“We have marshals who will guide the group. Police should have called us to plan together on how we will conduct the business because this issue will also affect them,” he said.
Nairobi police commander Adamson Bungei said they do not know what the group wants and that they fear they will disrupt businesses.
“We are aware and are planning how to handle the situation,” he said.
A recent survey conducted by Infotrak indicated that an overwhelming 87 per cent of Kenyans are opposed to the revenue mobilisation measures proposed in the Bill.
Some of the disgruntled Kenyans have been mobilising themselves on social media under the hashtag 'Reject Finance Bill' to raise awareness and marshal sufficient support to ensure they show up in their numbers to occupy Parliament on D-day.
Mwangi is leading in the mobilization ahead of Tuesday afternoon.
“Citizens, rise against over-taxation. Reject Finance Bill 2024,” reads a poster circulating on X.
The National Assembly’s Finance Committee retreated on Wednesday to write a report on the Bill ahead of its expected tabling in Parliament on Tuesday.
Aware that police will be deployed to disperse the gathering, the organisers of the protest have advised those who will answer their call and show up to come prepared for the worst.
“Carry placard, handkerchief and bottle of water,” the poster reads.
Protesters often arm themselves with bottles of water and handkerchiefs in anticipation should teargas be lobbed at them.
The organizers of the peaceful protest say people should start gathering from 12pm.
“We shall gather to keep vigil as members of Parliament vote at 2.30 pm. IG Koome to provide police to protect us as he respects Article 37 of the Constitution: The right to protest and picket.”
While unveiling the Sh3.92 trillion 2024-25 Budget estimates in Parliament on Thursday, Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u outlined several tax measures the government wants to pursue to raise Sh2.92 trillion locally.
The issue has divided some legislators amid pressure from the public on them to reject the Bill.
