By Andrew Wasike
NAIROBI, Kenya (AA) - The High Court of Kenya approved Thursday the use of military forces to restore order, following violent anti-tax protests that overwhelmed police.
The ruling comes one day after the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) filed a petition seeking to block the deployment.
"Given the eruption and loss of control of police during the demonstrations, necessitating deployment of KDF (Kenya Defence Forces) which endangered life and property, the invocation of article 241(b) was properly invoked in the circumstances," said Justice Lawrence Mugambi.
Mugambi is set to deliver a comprehensive ruling within two days.
The decision follows Kenyan Defence Minister Aden Duale's notice Tuesday of the deployment of the military.
LSK lawyer Chrysostom Xavier Akhaabi criticized the hurried deployment of the KDF and argued that Duale failed to provide a detailed justification for military use against unarmed civilians.
In a statement, Duale said: "This is in response to the security emergency caused by the ongoing violent protests in various parts of the Republic of Kenya resulting in destruction and breaching of critical infrastructure."
Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of the capital Thursday in a significantly lower turnout compared to the number of demonstrators in previous days.
President William Ruto bowed to public pressure Wednesday and announced that he will not sign the controversial Finance Bill 2024, which has several tax hikes.
Military vehicles and armored personnel carriers patrolled the streets with heavily armed soldiers assisting police in preventing looting and vandalism. The death toll in the protests stands at 23, according to the Kenya Medical Association.