Raila: 10 Reasons Why The Proposed Security Laws (amendment) Bill is Dangerous

The following are the 10 reasons according to CORD's Raila Odinga why the contetious #SecurityBill2014 should not be passed by MPs. Check them out and let us know what you think

1 It takes away the right to assemble, demonstrate, picket and present petitions to public authorities by giving the Cabinet secretary power. Trade unions can now be neutralised and political activity, the government would become dictatorial.

2 It introduces a new type of law that makes people responsible for the actions of others. This is what they mean when they say a person convicted of convening a rally, meeting or procession will be made liable for any loss suffered.

3 It takes away the power to declare curfew from the Inspector-General of Police and gives it to the Cabinet secretary. The decision to impose a curfew will not be based on a professional security risk assessment but on political grounds.

4 It restricts the right of the people to receive information if that information is considered “obscene”, “gory” or “offensive”. The Act does not define “obscene”, “gory”, or “offensive” and this will depend on police interpretation.

5 It takes away the right of an accused person to be told what evidence the prosecution has. We saw our President complaining that the prosecution was withholding evidence at the International Criminal Court at The Hague.

6 It requires an accused person to disclose his witnesses and evidence to the police. Our president protested strongly at the ICC when the prosecution applied to Kenya to give the prosecution information.

7 It institutionalises the military into our civilian life by putting them in the Firearms Licensing Board and Inter-agency security advisory committee. As Kenyans, we keep our military out of civilian affairs.

8 It gives the right to police to obtain information from landlords about tenants even in the absence of an investigation. Allowing this is only opening up a new plantation for them to harvest where they did not sow.

9 It brings back to Kenya the dreaded Special Branch in a more lethal formation. The National Intelligence Service now has power to search premises and take away property without having a warrant from court.

10 It limits the right of the media to give true and accurate information. The restrictions on media under the proposed law would have made the coverage of Westgate attack illegal.