Africa-Press – Kenya. President William Ruto has said the nation needs to have a candid conversation on what demonstrations should entail.
Though the Head of State recognised that indeed Kenyans have a right to picket as enshrined in the Constitution, he said the country cannot ignore the fact that the demos have come with losses.
“We must have a conversation ndo tujue maandamano ni nini. We must have that conversation. We cannot continue to bury our heads in the sand that we are exercising the right to demonstrate when we are actually causing anarchy, mayhem and destroying our country. We must have a candid conversation about what amounts to demonstration,” Ruto said.
He spoke on Saturday during the homecoming ceremony of Interior PS Raymond Omollo in Homa Bay County.
Ruto said the country cannot continue using the excuse of demos to destroy public and private property, businesses and cause chaos and anarchy.
“That is not what the constitution of Kenya envisaged when they provided for the matter of picketing or demonstrating,” Ruto said.
As the Head of State, Ruto said he will not allow anyone to use the right to picket as enshrined in the constitution to destroy property and cause deaths.
He added that politics are driven by policies and not demos.
He assured that the government will mobilise every resource to protect the property, lives and interests of every Kenyan moving forward.
“Sisi wote tuketi chini tukubaliane kwa maandamano, tyres ngapi zitachomwa, magari ngapi itachomwa, ni maafa ngapi ndio tuseme maandamano imefanyika (We must agree on how many tyres will be burnt, how many cars will be set on fire and how many people will die for us to call it a demonstration).”
Ruto said he respects everyone but when it comes to demos, everyone has their duty.
He said he is committed to his duties and that he will deliver.
“It is not going to be business as usual. We are not going to use provisions of the constitution to cause mayhem and anarchy. The same constitution mandates the government to protect citizens, their lives and property,” he said.
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