Kenya’s National Police Service (NPS) has announced measures to ensure that the country remains secure ahead of Monday’s Supreme Court ruling on Raila Odinga’s presidential election petition.
A seven-judge bench of highest court led by Chief Justice and their president Martha Koome will deliver their judgement on Monday, September 05, 2022.
Kenyans are awaiting the judgement with a lot of interest since it determines how the country will move forward. Two significant orders are expected to be made by the Supreme Court judges: upholding the election of William Samoei Ruto as the fifth president of Kenya, or ordering a repeat poll to take place within 60 days.
Ahead of the ruling, the NPS has announced that some roads with in the capital Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) will be closed on Supreme Court orders, at least two hours before the seven judges sit to deliver their ruling.
The roads that will be closed include Ngong Road, which will be cut off at Ngong Road 10 Avenue junction, opposite the NHIF.
NPS has also made it clear that motorists will be blocked from accessing the Nairobi Central Business District through through Kenyatta Avenue via Cathedral Road.
Motorists have been told to go through Haile Selassie Avenue.
Motorists will also not be allowed to use Cathedral Road / Milimani Ngong Road to access Milimani Law Courts past Kenyatta Avenue / Valley road Junction (NSSF) where the road will be closed.
Security will only clear motorists making their way to the court to proceed while the rest of the vehicles have been informed that they will only be allowed to go through Valley Road.
Police will also close off the Cathedral Road / Haile Selassie Avenue junction. Motorists will have to go through the Haile Selassie / Ngong Road route.
“Access to the Supreme Court shall be limited to the public, and all roads leading to the court premises shall remain closed,” the NPS emphasized.
Before this communication, Deputy Inspector General of Police (D-IGP) Edward Mbugua ordered regional commanders to prepare to deploy additional officers to hotspots ahead of and after the Supreme Court ruling.
“The Supreme Court of Kenya will make a ruling on the presidential petition on Monday, September 05. Depending on the ruling, we expect various reactions from the public in hotspot areas such as violence and destruction of property, demonstrations and celebrations. You are directed to prepare operation orders on how to deal with the aftermath of the court ruling,” read a notice attributed to D-IGP Mbugua.
The NPS has also assured Kenyans of security.
“The public should not therefore panic and migrate from their homes or ordinary places of residence in fear and anticipation of chaos,” the police service said.
Earlier in the day, there were reports that President Uhuru Kenyatta had moved his private cars and other properties out of State House Kenya as an alleged indication that William Ruto’s election victory could be upheld. (Read Story Here).
The prediction of the Supreme Court ruling in favour of William Ruto has also been made by a respected US-based organization. (See their statement Here).
