ACTING INSPECTOR GENERAL KANJA, ISSUES WARNING ON TOMORROW PROTESTS
Acting Inspector-General Douglas Kanja said the status of JKIA is a protected area under Kenyan law; practice cautions that institutions with such installations, like LPG and Bitumen plants within JKIA, are classified as protected under the Protected Areas Order of 2011.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Act further provides for such protections by making any entry into a government aerodrome or a licensed aerodrome without authority a punishable offense. Section 58 makes trespass an illegal act attracting legal penalties.
These are statements from the National Police Service immediately after the heightened tensions over planned demonstrations in Nairobi. It called on demonstrators to adhere strictly to provisions of the law and desist from attempting to breach or disrupt protected areas at JKIA.
Concurrently, the Kenya Airports Authority has issued advisories to all passengers, warning them to arrive early due to heightened security measures. It reiterated the concerns over possible disruptions and urged passengers to keep updated through their airlines on any changes in flight schedules.
This security alert supposes the recent judicial actions where the High Court of Kenya, just a day after the National Police Service’s move, suspended a ban on protests that had been imposed by the NPS. The initial outlawing had been premised on intelligence suggesting possible violence during the planned demonstrations.
In response to these events, stakeholders, such as the police and the airport authority, enhance the security presence to ensure safety and business continuity at JKIA. The protesting passengers are, however, urged, andadvised to strictly adhere to the laid-down legal provisions and take precaution in equal measure, given the underlying security threats.
The NPS has continued to monitor the situation, with emphasis laid on respect for law and order in view of the changing socio-political landscape in Nairobi.
