MPs Rush to Parliament to Approve Kdf's Deployment to Restore Order During Protests

MPs Rush to Parliament to Approve Kdf's Deployment to Restore Order During Protests

Nancy Odindo, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics, news, and feature stories across digital and print media in Kenya.

Nairobi - Members of Parliament have been urgently summoned back to the House to authorise the deployment of Kenya Defence Forces to aid in preventing further protests, despite having recently been notified of a two-week recess.

On Tueday, June 25, the Defence Council formally requested Parliament's approval for soldiers to bolster security efforts in response to escalating tensions during ongoing protests over the finance bill.

"THAT, pursuant to Article 241(3)(c) of the Constitution and sections 31(1)(b), 31(1)(c) and 32 of the Kenya Defence Forces Act, Cap. 199, this House accedes to the request of the Defence Council dated June 26, 2024 and, in the interest of national security, APPROVES the deployment of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) in support of the National Police Service in various parts of the Republic of Kenya affected by ongoing violent protests that have caused destruction to critical infrastructure until normalcy is restored," the notice reads in part, as reported by Citizen Digital.

This special session has been convened just hours ahead of the scheduled #occupystatehouse demonstration planned for Thursday, June 27.

Kenyans react to Ruto's speech after protests

Meanwhile, President William Ruto denounced the protests that led to the loss of at least five lives and several injuries.

During his speech, he mentioned the necessity of enhancing Kenya's security to appropriately curb the tensions arising from the demos.

However, a section of Kenyans continued to express their dissatisfaction with the brief that also highlighted the deployment of KDF soldiers.

What else you need to know about finance bill protests

• A video of police officers teargassing renowned journalist Larry Madowo and other protesters emerged
• Footage emerged showing how siblings protected themselves against police arrest
• Lupita Nyong'o lauded Kenyans for peacefully protesting, urged government to listen