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| Coast CSO's at Castle Royal Hotel Mombasa on Tuesday |
BY
PETER KOMBE
Coast civil society is calling on the Senate to
immediately withdraw the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendment) Bill 2019.
According to the CSOs the amendment is aimed at
paralyzing the work of civil society in the country.
“We are utterly perturbed by the Statute Law Miscellaneous
amendment Bill 2019” HURIA Executive director said
The CSO’s are also opposed to the proposed amendment
to the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2012 which require that the National Counter
Terrorism Centre (NCTC) to approve civil society organization and international
non-governmental organizations.
Addressing the media in Mombasa on Tuesday at Royal
Castle Hotel Human Rights Agenda Executive Director Yusuf Lule notes that CSOs
are duly registered and approved by the relevant laws and state institutions.
“We are duly registered and approved as per the law.
This is tantamount to double standards” Lule said
The executive further argues that this requirement
is tantamount to double standards negating the purpose of registering.
He says CSOs work independently, non-partisan and non-political
entities that cannot be directed to seek authority and or report to any state
entity.
“CSOs are independent non-partisan and non-political
entities. We cannot be directed to seek authority and or any state entity” he
noted
The network, Lule says is again opposed to the
proposed amendment to the Public Order Act 2019 (National Assembly Bills No 14
of 2019)
According to the CSOs the act require that persons organizing
demonstration be held accountable for damage or property that results from the demonstration.
“We are opposed to the proposed to amendment to the
public order act 2019” ho said
The Director says the provision contravenes constitutional
guarantees under article 37 which safeguards the right to picket, assemble and
demonstrate and the presentation of petition to public offices.
Kenya Community Support Centre Executive Director
Phylis Muema argues that the constitutionally Kenyans are guaranteed their
rights to access and give out information.
Muema argues that the amendments if implemented will
paralyze efforts by civil society to champion for human rights in the country.
“If these amendments are implemented we fear that
the voice of the civil society will be silenced” Muema said
The Executive urged the national assembly to revisit
the statutes before passing into laws.
She called on the media to highlight the current
amendments going on in the country.
“The national assembly should reread these amendments”
she said
She however warns that in case the amendments implemented
and become law CSOs will present the matter before a court of law for determination.
Haki Africa Executive Director Hussein Khalid argues
that Coast civil society groups will not relent in the fight for the rights of Kenyans.
“We shall not slow down. We shall not relent in this
war” he noted
He says Coast CSOs will challenge the matter before
a court of law, demonstrate and picket and further reject the laws if approved
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