PASSARIS MAKES U-TURN ON PROTESTS REGULATION BILL AFTER PUBLIC BACKLASH

Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris has made a dramatic U-turn on her proposed Public Order (Amendment) Bill, which sought to restrict protests within a 100-metre radius of key government institutions including Parliament, the State House, and the courts.
The reversal comes amid growing criticism from civil society, political leaders, and the public, who described the Bill as an attempt to suppress constitutional freedoms enshrined under Article 37 of the Kenyan Constitution.
Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma on Sunday declared that the Bill “has no future in Parliament,” confirming it will not proceed further in the legislative process.
“The Bill is effectively dead. We should focus on addressing the issues young people are raising through peaceful engagement, not silencing them through new restrictions,” Kaluma said.
Passaris had tabled the Bill on July 1, drawing parallels with earlier proposals by Interior CS Kithure Kindiki to control protest zones in light of the recent youth-led demonstrations in Nairobi. The proposed law would have imposed fines of up to Ksh100,000 or three months’ imprisonment on those who violated the restricted protest areas.
However, the public outrage was swift. Protesters and rights groups accused Passaris of betraying her electorate and working against the spirit of the Constitution.
On Saturday, Passaris claimed that some of the recent protests, including the Saba Saba demonstrations, were being funded by foreign actors — a claim that further inflamed public sentiment.
With mounting pressure, Passaris quietly distanced herself from the proposal, culminating in Kaluma’s statement that officially killed the Bill in Parliament.
This development marks a victory for activists and civil society, who view the retreat as a reaffirmation of Kenyans’ right to peaceful assembly.