Members of Parliament on Wednesday approved the deployment of military personnel within the country to restore order after deadly protests.
The House voted to approve a motion tabled by National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah hours after Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale had gazetted their KDF deployment.
The military personnel will support the Kenya Police Service to restore normalcy across the country after Tuesday’s anti-Finance Bill protests turned tragic.
In a gazette notice dated June 25, the Defence Cabinet Secretary cited Article 241 (3) (b) of Kenya’s constitution to declare the deployment of the Kenya Defence Forces in support of the National Police Service.
“The Kenya Defence Forces is deployed on the 25th June, 2024 in support of the National Police Service in response to the security emergency caused by the ongoing violent protests in various parts of the Republic of Kenya, resulting in destruction and broaching of critical infrastructure,” the gazette notice reads.
Already, military officers have been deployed to all protected areas across the country.
The deployment also follows a gazette notice by Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale last night.
Among the areas now under the tight guard of KDF are State Houses which include Nairobi, Nakuru and Mombasa and also lodges across the country.
In Nakuru, the military personnel were seen lined up at the main road leading to the State House.
Military presence has also been witnessed at late Jomo Kenyatta’s mausoleum that is situated next next to parliament buildings.
Anti-finance bill protesters who breached Parliament’s barricade also destroyed property at the mausoleum, which included the perimeter wall.
Under the Protected Areas Act, no unauthorised entry is allowed into these areas.
