By Tajeu Shadrack Nkapapa
The acting Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli has said that they arrested 174 protesters during ‘Nane Nane’ protests countywide.
On a Police media briefing on ‘Nane Nane’ anti-government protests the Ag. IG Masengeli highlighted that the protests had a very low turnout compared to the previous demonstrations experienced in the previous months.
He further said that they recorded minimal cases of looting, injuries and properties damage across the country.
“Unlike the recent demonstrations that were marred with wanton destructions of property, looting, injuries and loss of lives, today the country remained peaceful and normalcy prevailed, except in Nairobi where one officer was injured,” Ag. IG Gilbert Masengeli said.
“We arrested a total of 174 suspects that is, 126 in Nairobi, 22 in Kitengela-Rift Valley, and 26 at Emali-Makueni County,” he added.
The Ag. Inspector General explained the arrests of the protesters and said that the organizers did not notify the Police Service about the demonstrations as instructed by the law.
He added that, the Service took a responsibility to deploy more officers to all towns to ensure that peace prevails and that no destruction of property and business takes place.
“Despite failure by conveners of today’s demonstration to notify the Police of their intention to hold the demonstration, we ensured adequate deployment of security personnel and cautioned members of public to avoid crowded areas that were likely to turn riotous,” he said.
The Inspector General said that Police Service acknowledge the supremacy of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010 in particular Article 37 that guarantees right for every person peaceably and unarmed, to assemble, to demonstrate, to picket, and to present petitions to public authorities.
Earlier on Wednesday Mr. Gilbert Masengeli warned protesters to avoid protected institutions and important public infrastructures.