(Nairobi) A Kenyan court on Thursday suspended a ban on protests in the centre of the capital Nairobi, imposed by police the day before after deadly anti-government demonstrations.
The country has been rocked since mid-June by protests against government tax hike plans, which have since been abandoned.
Initially peaceful, the rallies have degenerated into violence that has left at least 50 people dead since June 18, according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), an official but independent body.
The violence has taken place in and around Nairobi’s central business district, which was plunged into chaos on June 25 when protesters stormed parliament and police opened fire with live ammunition.
On Wednesday, Kenyan police announced that “no demonstrations” would be allowed in this part of the capital and its surroundings “in order to ensure public safety.” However, on Thursday, a judge of the High Court of Nairobi issued a “precautionary order” to prevent the application of this ban, pending a final decision.
The court said it would hold a further hearing on July 29.
Faced with his worst crisis since his election nearly two years ago, President William Ruto has sought to contain it by rolling back plans to hike taxes on fuel and bread, sacking almost his entire cabinet and promising cuts to government budgets.
But the rallies, led largely by young Kenyans, while less intense than last month, continued across the country, with calls for the president to resign.
In its statement on Wednesday, police said they had decided to ban the protests after receiving “credible information that organised criminal groups are planning to profit from the ongoing protests”.
Protesters have accused “thugs” of using their rallies to provoke violence. Rights groups have accused police, often accused of human rights abuses with impunity, of using disproportionate force against protesters.