Makueni County Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr has criticised the new bill seeking to prohibit public gatherings near parliament and all protected areas.
Sponsored by Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris, the Public Order (Amendment) Bill, 2025, proposes changes to the Public Order Act (Cap. 56) to address public meetings and processions, providing the demarcation of assembly and demonstration zones.
In a statement on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, Kilonzo described the bill as retrogressive and stated that public spaces are not hallowed grounds.
“The anti-demos bill is retrogressive. Parliament and other public spaces are not hallowed grounds. In Australia, the Senate is under a park. In Germany, the roof of the Bundestag is a glass dome for the public to peep!” he stated.
The bill argues that any public meeting or public procession should not be held within a 100-metre radius of the precincts of Parliament, protected areas under the Protected Areas Act, and courtrooms.
“A person who contravenes the provisions of this section commits an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding one hundred thousand shillings or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or to both,” reads the proposal in part.
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The bill also empowers the Cabinet Secretary to designate assembly and demonstration zones in consultation with the county governments and prescribes the areas within which public meetings and processions are prohibited.
Chapter 56 of the Public Order Act regulates public meetings and processions, requiring a police officer to be notified at least three days before the event.
It outlines procedures for holding public gatherings, including the requirement for organisers to provide details such as names, addresses, dates, times (between 6 am and 6 pm), and locations.
The Act also addresses unlawful assemblies and the consequences for those involved. Those involved can be charged under the Penal Code’s provisions on unlawful assembly and face imprisonment.
This proposal follows threats by the Kenyan youths to invade the State House during the June 25, 2025, protests honouring victims of last year’s anti-government protests that saw parliament breached.
This saw the government erect razor wire, a type of security barrier made of sharp-edged metal strips designed to cause injury and prevent access around parliament during protests.
