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The High Court in Nairobi Thursday temporarily halted a police order prohibiting protests in the capital, Nairobi, and its environs.
The police had imposed the ban on Wednesday, citing safety concerns due to the protests’ leaderless nature and alleged infiltration by criminals. Justice Bahati Mwamuye Thursday afternoon suspended the decision waiting for the hearing and determination of a case filed by the Katiba Institute to challenge the ban on the protests.
The decision comes amid a month of nationwide demonstrations sparked by unpopular tax increases, which have since broadened to include calls for President William Ruto’s resignation. Despite the withdrawal of the contentious tax bill and the dismissal of the entire cabinet, protests have persisted.
Planned demonstrations in Nairobi on Thursday failed to materialize, although a heavy police presence was deployed in anticipation. Businesses, initially cautious, resumed operations later in the day.
The police justified the ban, stating they had credible intelligence of organized criminal groups planning to exploit the protests. They also blamed the lack of protest leadership for hindering safety measures.
The ban has ignited widespread outrage, with critics arguing it infringes on citizens’ constitutional right to assembly. At least 50 protesters have been killed and hundreds injured since the demonstrations began in June, according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.
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