Muturi rejects Murkomen's claim that anti-terror law was passed under his tenure as speaker
Muturi maintained that what passed during his tenure was the Security Laws (Amendment) Act of 2014, which dealt with broader legal reforms.
Former Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi has dismissed claims by Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen that he oversaw the passage of the Prevention of Terrorism Act, stating that the law was enacted before his time as National Assembly Speaker.
Muturi maintained that what passed during his tenure was the Security Laws (Amendment) Act of 2014, which dealt with broader legal reforms.
More To Read
- Reprieve for MP Mukunji as court dismisses DCI's request for extended detention on terror charges
- Terrorism or protest? What Kenyan law says about anti-government demos and charges
- Murkomen puts inciting politicians on notice, vows crackdown in Rift Valley
- Firearm smugglers from Uganda to Kenya mapped, arrests imminent, says Interior CS Murkomen
- Justin Muturi reveals how he became AG after initially declining the role
- Ex-CJ Maraga accuses Ruto government of weaponising anti-terror laws to silence dissent
The public exchange between the two senior officials comes amid heightened national debate over the government’s controversial use of anti-terrorism laws to charge individuals linked to the recent anti-government protests. The move has sparked concern within the legal fraternity about the scope and intent of Kenya’s counter-terror legislation.
Muturi, who served as Speaker of the National Assembly between 2013 and 2022, sought to set the record straight in a post on his official X account on Thursday.
“The Prevention of Terrorism Act was enacted by the 10th Parliament under the Grand Coalition Government. It is Act No. 30 of 2012,” he wrote.
Muturi clarified that he was not in the Speaker’s chair at the time the anti-terror law was passed, and instead presided over the enactment of the Security Laws (Amendment) Act in 2014.
“The Security Laws Amendment Act was passed on December 18, 2014, by the 11th Parliament, which I presided over. It is Act No. 19 of 2014,” the former Speaker said.
According to Muturi, the 2014 amendment introduced changes to several laws, including the Penal Code, the Criminal Procedure Code, the Evidence Act, the Immigration Act, and the Prisons Act, among others.
“I would advise the Cabinet Secretary to verify facts before feeding the public propaganda,” Muturi added.
However, Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen, speaking at a security engagement forum in Uasin Gishu, stood his ground, insisting that Muturi played a central role in pushing the anti-terrorism law through Parliament.
“Does former Speaker Justin Muturi forget that he passed this law by hook or by crook?” Murkomen posed.
“He was sitting there when the National Assembly passed the Prevention of Terrorism Act. He stood very firm and insisted that Kenya needed strong laws to protect the people from rogue elements,” he said.
Murkomen has been vocal in his defence of the government’s use of anti-terror legislation to pursue individuals accused of orchestrating chaos during recent protests. On July 23, he said the crackdown was within the law, emphasising the need to safeguard national peace and order.
“The Prevention of Terrorism Act is clear and unambiguous. Orchestrating violence, endangering life, using firearms or explosives, and interfering with essential services are all defined as acts of terror,” Murkomen said.
“How better can we define those using petrol bombs to burn courts and other critical infrastructure?”
He also urged the Judiciary to resist public pressure when determining bail terms for suspects charged under the law.
“Our courts must not be intimidated. Kenyans deserve protection from acts that threaten the country’s peace and order,” he added.
Top Stories Today
