Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Charles Kanjama has issued a reminder ahead of the June 25 commemorations, stressing that the right to protest is a constitutional guarantee that exists independently of the State’s approval and cannot be suspended at its discretion.

“Constitutional rights are neither granted by the State nor exercised at its pleasure,” Kanjama said.

He anchored his remarks in Article 37 of the Constitution, which guarantees every Kenyan the right to assemble, demonstrate, and present petitions peacefully.

Kanjama outlined what he described as the proper role of law enforcement during public protests, arguing that officers are mandated to secure the perimeter and isolate criminal elements, not to suppress the constitutional liberties of ordinary citizens exercising their right to demonstrate.

“The primary responsibility of law enforcement during public protests is to secure the perimeter and isolate criminal actors, without suppressing the constitutional liberties of citizens,” he said.

The LSK President further announced that the Law Society would be actively present on the ground during the commemorations to ensure that state organs operate strictly within the bounds of the law.

“The LSK will actively monitor the ground to ensure that state organs strictly respect the rule of law and offer assistance to any citizen adversely affected by unconstitutional acts of the State,” he concluded.