Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris has paused her controversial Bill restricting protests to allow room for dialogue. photo:
Nairobi County Woman Representative Esther Passaris has announced a pause on her controversial proposed Public Order Amendment Bill 205, to allow for national dialogue and public engagement on the Bill.
Passaris had proposed a bill that had meant to ban protests 100m from government protected areas including State House, the National Assembly, Judiciary and police station.
“I have decided to pause the pre-publication process of the Public Order (Amendment) Bill 2025 to allow for national dialogue and wide public engagement. This is an invitation to co-create legislation that safeguards constitutional freedoms while ensuring public order,” she stated.
Reading the political tension in the country due to the anticipated Saba Saba anniversary in the country, Passaris responding to the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) and other voices of conscience, lauded their bold stand in defending rights as enshrined in the constitution, but further challenged them to be fair in calling out the government.
“I thank NCCK for its bold stance in defending civil liberties, but I also challenge our religious institutions to raise the moral bar of public discourse. Let us teach and encourage a culture of peaceful protest, lawful engagement, and respectful disagreement values rooted in faith and democracy alike,” she further stated.
Earlier NCCK had issued a strong appeal to security agencies, urging them to exercise maximum restraint and uphold the constitutional rights of Kenyans during the Saba Saba protests.
Additionally, NCCK raised alarm over what it termed as a worrying trend by the government of “blatantly, violently, and illegally” denying citizens their right to peacefully picket. The council warned that continued suppression of public demonstrations would not only violate the Constitution but also risk undermining public trust in state institutions.
However, Passaris argued that a stable state is not built on use of intimidation and violence, but accountability from leaders, urging that the Bill be used as a collaboration to cushioning the country against the continued violent protests witnessed in the country. She urged those marking Saba Saba to maintain peace and not engage in violence.
“A just society is not built by force or fear, but by accountability on all sides from citizens to state officers. It is my hope that this conversation will shift from confrontation to collaboration. As we honour the spirit of Saba Saba; let us move forward not in anger, but in shared accountability; each of us doing our part to secure Kenya’s promise of prosperity,” Passaris urged.
