- Speaking on Friday, Duale said it was the doing of the framers of the Constitution of Kenya.
- He noted that the Constitution allows the Defence CS to intervene, anytime the police are overwhelmed with securing the public.
Image: EZEKIEL AMING'A
Environment, Climate Change and Forestry CS nominee Aden Duale has insisted that he did not deploy the Kenya Defence Forces during the anti-Finance Bill protests.
Speaking on Friday, Duale said it was the doing of the framers of the Constitution of Kenya.
He said the deployment was in line with the law.
He noted that the Constitution allows the Defence CS to intervene, anytime the police are overwhelmed with securing the public.
"I did not deploy KDF. The framers of the Constitution put Article 241 (3)(b)and (3)(c) in the Constitution. So Kenya Defence Forces are in the streets, they are in Boni Forest fighting al Shabaab, they are in North Rift dealing with banditry, they were in Westgate during the terror attack, in Garissa University during the terror attack where we lost many people," Duale said.
"For peace, public order, public safety, where the police are overwhelmed Article 241 (3)(b) kicks in the function of the Minister for Defence, by then me. Once it kicks in I am supposed to do subsidiary legislation. I gazette."
The CS nominee appeared before the National Assembly Committee on Appointments for vetting.
Duale said that on that day, the Supreme Court and Parliament were under threat.
He insisted that had the KDF not intervened many lives would have been lost.
He added that as Defence CS, he would not be irresponsible to let that happen.
"That day the office of the Chief Justice and Supreme Court as an institution was under threat, Parliament and colleagues sitting here, if KDF did not come to assist, God forbid, many MPs could have died, including our Speaker," Duale said.
"Parliament could have been burned. I will not be that irresponsible as a Minister of Defence with a provision of the Constitution."
The former Defence CS further commended the framers of the Constitution for including Article 241 (3)(b) and (c) in the Constitution of Kenya, 2010.
"I want to thank the framers of the Constitution, I participated, the Speakers participated, and many other members participated. It is today and that day, June 25, I realise how importance of Article 241 (3)(b) and (c) is," Duale said.