Masinga MP Joshua Mbithi has said that there can never be peaceful demonstrations in Kenya since most people are unemployed.
Speaking in an interview with KBC on Tuesday, he said that most of the people who were protesting on Monday were for hire since they were idle.
“There can never be peaceful demonstrations for people that are jobless,” Mbithi said.
“Peaceful demonstrations are only words that are spoken. But that is not the truth. It can never be, especially in this country. In other countries, it can be practical, but in Kenya is very difficult to have peaceful demonstrations.
“If you could see the composition of the demonstrators, these are young people who have no office to go to, the majority of them have no business to do. They are just idle and also they are for hire.”
When asked whether the rights of the protestors were protected, he added that the protestors could have carried tree leaves as a sign of peace for the police to protect them.
“It is also very difficult for the police to be able to protect them while they are throwing stones at them. If it was a peaceful demonstration, they could have carried some tree leaves as a sign of peace. Then they can be protected,” Mbithi said.
“But how do you protect somebody ready to fight you?”
He said that one cannot be able to protect a harmful person since you are also protecting yourself.
“You protect a harmless person. But somebody who wants to harm you, you cannot be able to guarantee the protection, because you are also protecting yourself,” Mbithi said.
On Monday, police officers engaged Azimio supporters in running battles in key opposition stronghold estates in Nairobi.
Police also lobbed teargas and blocked Azimio supporters from accessing the Central Business District to participate in the march to State House mass action.
A group of human rights organisations condemned the conduct of the police.
However, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki commended police conduct during the protests.
“The National Police Service has done our country proud, despite the day-long provocation by unruly protesters. Kenya must end impunity and apply one Constitution and one set of laws for everyone, for enduring peace and stability of our nation,” Kindiki said.