We'll not relent on terrorism charges on protesters - Murkomen

Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said the State will not relent in its terrorism charges against individuals engaging in terrorist acts.

Speaking in Eldoret at the start of his Jukwaa La Usalama engagement in the county, the CS faulted the Law Society of Kenya for siding with criminals rather than with law-abiding citizens, who have lost property worth billions of shillings in the so-called protests.

“The Prevention of Terrorism Act is clear and unambiguous. Orchestrating violence, endangering life, creating serious risk to public health or safety, causing serious damage to property, using firearms or explosives, and interfering with essential services are all terrorist acts.”

“How better can we define those using petrol bombs to burn courts and other critical infrastructure?” he posed.

He was reacting to LSK criticism on the move by the state to prefer terror charges on some of those arrested in recent protests in several parts of the country.

Murkomen also told courts not to be intimidated to give lenient bail terms to those arraigned for these offences, saying the people of Kenya deserve the protection of the law.

“I saw the interview of the LSK President, and she was arrogating herself the position of a judge. How did she determine that the evidence we gave in court is not watertight? The question of threshold is a court process,” he said.

He called on the LSK President, Faith Odhiambo, to support the rule of law, which involves charging suspects in court.

“Once a matter is in court, she can choose to stand with the suspects as a defence lawyer or stand with the people of Kenya who have suffered loss of property during violent protests.”

“I was expecting LSK and the Opposition to support us on this so that going forward we can have peaceful protests.”

He said former Public Service CS Justin Muturi presided over the passing of the Prevention of Terrorism Act when he was the Speaker of the National Assembly and should advise those who sponsor violence accordingly.

The government is under pressure to drop the charges on the suspects.

Those opposed to the same say the charges were meant to intimidate and scare future protests.