Tuesday, July 22, 2025 - Former Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President, Nelson Havi, has accused Chief Justice Martha Koome of paving the way for the misuse of terrorism charges against Kenyans arrested during recent anti-Government protests.
Havi’s remarks come in the wake of mass arrests tied to the
June demonstrations, where hundreds of protesters were charged with
terrorism-related offences and given steep bail terms.
“She labeled an arson in Kikuyu as terrorism. On what
yardstick did she make that determination?”
“Taking the cue, Renson Ingonga, like Bernard Chunga before
him, began the crackdown.”
“We are back to the 1980s,” Havi posted on X.
His comments refer to CJ Koome’s June 26th visit
to the Kikuyu Law Courts, which were set ablaze during protests a day earlier.
At the time, Koome condemned the arson as an act of
terrorism, noting, “The extent of this damage is not just an act of criminal
elements, but an act of terrorism.”
She added that no judicial records were lost, thanks to the
Judiciary’s digitized Case Tracking System.
Havi’s concerns echo warnings from civil rights groups,
including the Katiba Institute, which said:
“We are deeply concerned by the continued misuse of the
Prevention of Terrorism Act to manage public order... This practice undermines
Kenya’s criminal justice system and jeopardizes critical international
partnerships.”
The debate highlights growing concerns over the
criminalization of protest and freedom of expression in Kenya.
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