A lobby group has urged the National Police Service to protect peaceful protesters during the Saba Saba commemorations and to uphold the Constitution.
The Justice and Equity Council Kenya said police should not allow themselves to be used for political purposes and must maintain law and order within the law. "The demand for a more accountable and just society is not a threat to national security; it shows democratic maturity," said Chairman Sebastian Onyango.
The council said Kenya has faced police violence and enforced disappearances since independence in 1963, with young people, activists and the poor often treated as threats instead of rights holders.
It cited past crackdowns under previous administrations, including the Saba Saba protests in the 1990s and post-election violence in 2007 and 2008, saying police have often treated peaceful protests as crimes.
