Wamuzi News Ke
In a dramatic pivot coinciding with Saba Saba Day, Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris has abruptly paused the pre-publication process of her controversial Public Order (Amendment) Bill 2025, effective immediately.
The swift move follows intense pressure from civil society, faith-based organizations, opposition lawmakers, and city traders—and signals a potentially explosive shift in Kenya’s democracy debate .
What triggered the pause?
Passaris introduced the bill on July 1, aiming to outlaw protests within 100 meters of Parliament, State House, courts, and other central public buildings. It also sought to enforce designated “protest zones” and to impose fines up to KSh 100,000 or three months imprisonment on defiant demonstrators .
Nationwide backlash ensued:The National Council of Churches of Kenya and legal rights groups warned the bill threatened Article 37 – the constitutional guarantee of peaceful assembly .The opposition ODM party formally distanced itself, denouncing the bill as draconian .
Street traders and small-scale business owners in Nairobi’s CBD joined the chorus, calling the bill a direct assault on their right to protest unfair municipal policies .
Passaris issues statement on pre-publication pause.On her X (Twitter) account, Passaris described July 7—Saba Saba Day—as a moment for “reflection and responsibility,” inviting “national dialogue and wide public engagement” before proceeding further . While she insisted the bill was about safeguarding “order and safety,” critics remain skeptical.
Pro- and anti-bill voices emerge.
Supporters argue hard-line measures are necessary after the violent June 25 Gen‑Z-led protests that erupted in Nairobi. Security officials and government-aligned MPs warn such unrest could threaten national stability .
But opponents, including Kisumu Woman Rep Rosa Buyu, counter that relegating protests to remote ‘zones’ undermines the freedom to be heard—and cautioned that enforcement could criminalize spontaneous civic action .
Human rights watchdogs are already preparing legal challenges should the bill resurface.Next steps: national conversation or political limbo?.
The tipping point now lies in the proposed “national dialogue.” Will it be a genuine effort to balance civil liberties with public order? Or is it a stall tactic until political heat cools?
With ODM’s split, faith leaders mobilized, and protesters already organizing for July 7 rallies, tension is building fast.What to watch next:Will Passaris reconvene with religious, legal, and grassroots voices to reshape the amendments?
Will NGOs or political parties petition the High Court to declare the paused bill unconstitutional?And most critically—what will security institutions propose as lawful parameters for protest?
The sudden halt to this bill marks a dramatic inflection point in Kenya’s modern democratic journey—a test of whether state order will override constitutional freedoms or if public dissent can reclaim its rightful space.
