CS Duale Confirms Deployment of KDF to All 47 Counties
CS Duale Confirms Deployment of KDF to All 47 Counties : In a gazette notice on June 28, Duale highlighted that KDF officers will be deployed across all 47 counties underscoring they will assist the National Police Service to maintain law and order.
“Based on the prevailing threats to national security planned and orchestrated through various platforms in cyberspace, the deployment will cover the 47 counties within the country where critical installations and infrastructure are located to assist the National Police Service in preserving life, preserve the internal security of the State, protect property as well as maintain law and order,” the notice read.
He outlined that the terms of engagement for the deployment shall be the constitutional standards enshrined in the Bill of Rights, Articles 238(1) and (2) of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, statutory requirements and principles provided in sections 3, 8 (2), 34 (1), 34 (3) and 35 of the Kenya Defence Forces Act.
The cabinet secretary added that the KDF will be deployed until normalcy is restored.
He stated,”The Government through the Ministry of Defence will comply with the court decision and issue a new gazette notice in due course,”
The CS further affirmed that the government will always respect the Constitution citing that the only work KDF will do is to ensure peace, public safety and protection of critical infrastructure of all the three arms of Government.
On his part, Justice Mugambi stated that even though the intervention was justified, it was clear that the public had not been fully appraised of the extent of the military involvement.
“Given the eruption and loss of control of police during the demonstrations, necessitating deployment of KDF which endangered life and property, the invocation of article 241(b) was properly invoked in the circumstances,” he said.
He agreed with the Law Society of Kenya that deploying KDF in such a blanket manner is a dangerous trend that can bring about the militarisation of the country.
“This can potentially muzzle the civilian population from protesting to what it believes are unfair taxation policies imposed by the government and also put a wedge between military and civilian population,” he said.
ALSO READ: MP Reveals Why Several People in Githurai Were Shot Dead After Tuesday’s Protests