Cedric Otieno, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) national youth leader, has urged the business community and the public to proceed with their daily activities tomorrow June 25, assuring them that security will be fully guaranteed.

Speaking to Kondele News in a phone interview, Otieno emphasized that businesses should remain open and citizens must be allowed to operate normally.

“There is nobody who will be allowed to attack or to destroy property of other Kenyans,” said Mr Otieno.

He went on, “I want to tell Kenyans not to be worried about anything because the police will offer enough security.”

He also called on the youth planning the demonstrations to seek more constructive avenues to address their grievances.

“There are other alternative ways of handling some matters, going to the streets and destroying property is not the best route,” he noted.

Human rights organizations’ demands

His remarks come just moments after human rights organizations issued a seven-point demand to the National Police Service (NPS) ahead of the planned June 25 Gen Z memorial processions.

The groups urged law enforcement officers to facilitate peaceful demonstrations and avoid past actions that have resulted in fatalities, injuries, and widespread allegations of human rights violations.

The advisory, released today by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) and the Police Reforms Working Group, comes on the eve of nationwide memorial processions organized by Gen Z activists and citizens to honor those who lost their lives during the June 2024 anti-government protests.

The lobby groups emphasized that the planned processions are fully protected under Article 37 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to peaceably and unarmed assemble, demonstrate, picket, and present petitions.

“The National Police Service is reminded that its primary role is to facilitate and protect the exercise of this right,” the organisations said.

The groups further noted that protest notifications are legally intended to assist with logistics and public safety, and should not be misinterpreted as requests for official permission.

In their joint advisory, the organizations outlined seven key guidelines meant to strictly govern police conduct during Thursday’s memorial events.