The National Assembly has convened a special sitting to approve the request by the Defence Council to deploy the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) in response to the anti-Finance Bill protests sweeping the country.
According to the Supplementary Order Paper scheduled for Wednesday, June 26, the deployment will be in accordance with Article 241 of the Constitution, which mandates parliamentary approval before KDF deployment.
The motion, forwarded to Parliament following a request by the Defence Council on Wednesday, reads: “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 26th June 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.”
Following the approval, Parliament has resolved to break for recess on Wednesday and resume regular sittings on Tuesday, July 23 at 2:30 pm. This decision follows Tuesday’s #OccupyParliament protests, during which youth stormed the House, causing significant damage. The ceremonial mace, symbolizing the authority of the legislature, was stolen, parts of the Parliament building were vandalized, and a section was set on fire.
Protesters have vowed to continue their demonstrations, planning an #OccupyStateHouse protest for Thursday. Speaker Moses Wetangula had initially approved the motion for the House to break for a two-week recess beginning Friday.
