KENYA: President Signs Controversial Security Bill into Law

NAIROBI DECEMBER 19, 2014(CISA) – President Uhuru Kenyatta has signed into law the controversial Security Laws (Amendment) Bill 2014 into law.

In a televised address to the nation on Friday December 19, President Kenyatta said that the law protected the human rights and “did not go against any provisions of the constitution” as alleged by opposition Mps.

“I am confident that you will find that there is nothing in this law that goes against the bill of rights or any provision of the constitution… its intent is to protect the lives and property for all the citizens of this Republic,” said President Kenyatta.

On Thursday December 18, the parliament passed the Security Laws (Amendment) Bill 2014 amid chaos and drama that marked its debate.

The opposition threatened to move to court to oppose the manner in which the Bill was passed and further called for the resignation of the National Assembly Speaker.

“We want the Senate recalled and hope we will sit on Tuesday, the civil society out there and ourselves will go to court to challenge the bill for being unconstitutional in content and un-procedural in the manner it was brought through,” stated Senate Minority Leader Moses Wetangula.

Kenya has faced pressure to boost security since a 2013 attack by Somali Al Shabaab rebels on at the Westgate mall in Nairobi that killed 67 people.

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