Acting Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli met with senior security officials on Tuesday at the Administration Police Training College in Embakasi to prepare for the planned Nane Nane anti-government protests scheduled for Thursday.
During the meeting with regional police commanders and leaders from the three services, Masengeli confirmed he would update on police preparedness for the upcoming event.
Masengeli emphasized that while every Kenyan has the right to picket, demonstrate, and assemble according to the law, it is crucial to balance these rights with the rule of law.
“Where the privilege of one ends, is where the rights of the other begin. We are all Kenyans, we have to live by the rule of law,” he stated, referencing the Rome Statute and the Kenyan Constitution.
RELATED – UK-Based Kenyans Plan Nane Nane Protest at Kenya’s High Commission in London
He assured that authorities would handle criminal elements firmly. “On GenZs, they have a message and they have been heard. It is upon us now to differentiate between GenZs and opportunists who take advantage of those riots to cause mayhem, destruction of property and acts of violence that are not allowed by the law,” Masengeli said.
Responding to recent images of officers in anti-protest operations in Nairobi, Masengeli clarified that officers in civilian clothing must carry their letter of appointment for identification during operations.
The meeting, titled “National Security Situation: Challenges, Opportunities, and Strategies,” focused on urgent security issues such as rising civil unrest, cybercrime, and terrorism. The meeting aimed to ensure that commanders could plan their responses effectively and adopt a collaborative approach to tackling these challenges.
“We are addressing general security matters,” Masengeli noted.
