Wandayi calls for withdrawal of police surrounding Parliament amidst Finance Bill debate
By Maureen Kinyanjui |
The ODM legislator suggested that the Speaker should direct the Inspector General of Police to withdraw the police officers whom he claimed had converted Parliament into what resembles a military installation.
Minority Leader at the National Assembly Opiyo Wandayi has called for the withdrawal of heavy police deployment surrounding Parliament buildings.
Speaking on the floor of the house on Thursday, he sought National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula's intervention on the matter citing that the heightened security was obstructing legislators' access to the chambers and impeding their participation in the ongoing debate on the Finance Bill 2024.
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Wandayi claimed that the police blockade preventing demonstrators from reaching Parliament resembled the setup of a military installation.
"Mr. Speaker, as you can see, the house is not full and some members are finding it difficult to pass through the police blockades to access the House. I have personally had to struggle to get here," he said.
"The issue is that the entire Parliament precinct is cordoned off by individuals who appear to be police officers. We live in a democratic country, and this house symbolizes our democracy. No one in this country has the authority to establish a blockade around Parliament. There has been no state of emergency declared under the constitution," Wandayi added.
Roads leading to Parliament were barricaded amid the anti-finance bill demos on June 20, 2024. Photo: Justine Ondieki, EV.
The ODM legislator suggested that the Speaker should direct the Inspector General of Police to withdraw the police officers whom he claimed had converted Parliament into what resembles a military installation.
In response to his comments, Majority Whip Sylvanus Osoro asserted that the police were fulfilling their independent mandate to maintain peace and order for Members of Parliament and demonstrators participating in the 'Occupy Parliament' protest. The protest aims to influence lawmakers to oppose the Finance Bill.
"We must respect our 2010 constitution and the independent offices it establishes. The National Police Service operates independently. They do not take instructions from Parliament or the President. They carry out their duties independently," he said.
In response, Speaker Wetangula assured the House that he had directed the Clerk and Sergeant-at-Arms to probe the situation.
"Rest assured that you are safe at all times. I will direct the Clerk and Sergeant-at-Arms to liaise with the police to ascertain the situation so that I can respond based on accurate information," he said as he called the House to order to commence the debate on the Finance Bill.
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