Esther Passaris Proposes New Bill to Regulate Protests Near Parliament and Other Areas

Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris has proposed the Public Order (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which seeks to regulate protests. 

While appearing before the National Assembly committee on security on Tuesday, July 1, Passaris revealed that the bill seeks to outlaw protests near key installations such as Parliament and courts.

For instance, in the bill, it is proposed that protesters be banned from protesting within 100 meters of the establishments.

"The bill proposes to define public meetings and processions. It seeks to introduce designated assembly and demonstration zones, gazetted in consultations with county governments.

"It prohibits public gatherings within 100 meters of key institutions, namely Parliament, Courts, and protected areas listed in the Protected Areas Act."

Meanwhile, she insisted that the bill was not meant to limit the rights of protesters but to bring order.

She added that the bill would ensure that lives are protected and discourage the infiltration of the protests by goons.

The bill is set to prescribe penalties for various offences committed during protests.

"We have lost a lot of youth in this process, and we as a country have to do something about that," she expressed.

"In 2017, we buried 97 people who were killed. I come from the ODM party, and we know what it's like to lose lives... if we put this order in place, we will stop the loss of lives."

The move by Passaris comes after Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen announced that the government would formulate laws to regulate protests.

The bill by the government is also set to limit protests within certain areas, in addition to procedures followed by protesters when notifying the police of their demos.