Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has strongly condemned the violent protests that rocked Kenya on June 25, asserting that the events marked a dangerous breach of the country’s constitutional order. In a hard-hitting statement, Duale warned that those behind the destruction, looting, and attacks on public institutions must be swiftly brought to justice.
“We witnessed shocking scenes of looting, attacks on public buildings, and gross violations of property rights,” Duale stated, adding that the violence could not be tolerated under any pretext. While Article 37 of the Constitution guarantees the right to peaceful assembly and demonstration, Duale emphasized that this right does not extend to criminal behavior.
“What was billed as a peaceful protest ended up becoming a dark day for our country,” he said. “One cannot hide behind the right to demonstrate while raping our women, destroying businesses, and threatening the lives and property of hardworking Kenyans. That is not a right—it is a crime.”
Duale’s comments come amid a broader government crackdown on those believed to have orchestrated the unrest. President William Ruto has instructed security agencies to conduct urgent investigations, directing that the perpetrators be “identified, unmasked, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen echoed the President’s sentiments, affirming that his ministry is determined to track down the protest organisers and financiers. “There will be no leniency for those who seek to destabilise the nation under the guise of protest,” Murkomen declared.
Duale also cautioned against political actors using protests to question the legitimacy of a duly elected government. “We are one nation, under God, and governed by law. Anyone acting otherwise must be held responsible,” he said.
The June 25 protests, initially mobilised as peaceful demonstrations, spiralled into violence in several parts of the country, with reports of vandalism, arson, and even sexual assault surfacing. As public outrage grows, pressure is mounting on the government to act decisively and restore order while safeguarding constitutional freedoms.
The unfolding developments underscore a delicate balance between protecting civil liberties and maintaining law and order in a democratic society.
