The High court in Kenya has put the implementation of some sections of the controversial new security law on hold.
The security bill was signed into law by president Uhuru Kenyatta a fortnight ago despite fierce resistance from the opposition.
A parliamentary debate on the bill before it was enacted turned chaotic when members of the opposition expressed their displeasure by shouting and tearing up their copies of the bill.
[contextly_sidebar id=”NRfYhQTCLw3IyqxLYKbmSjWNWkuk8KY9″]They subsequently filed a petition at the court challenging some sections of the new law.
The high court has, as a result, blocked eight measures in the new law until the petition is ruled on.
Lawmakers from both sides of the house were reportedly involved in fisticuffs, with images of several of them with torn clothes and scratches going viral on social media.
The new law will allow security agencies in the country to “detain terror suspects for up to one year, to tap communications without court consent.”
Journalists in the country would also have to seek permission from the police before publishing any story on terrorism related issues, while landlords and hotels would be compelled to provide security officers with information about their tenants and guests.
The president has defended the law arguing that the government needs more power in order to combat the Militant Islamist group al-Shabab who had intensified their attacks in the country in recent times, including two attacks in December which killed more than 60 people.
The opposition however say that Kenya was turning into a “police state” and that the bill, if passed would further compromise the county’s democratic beliefs.
“The real target of this ‘law’ is not terrorism. Its aim is to reintroduce the police state and political hegemony,” the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) said in a statement.
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By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana