High court suspends 8 clauses of the controversial Security Bill

The high court has suspended eight clauses of the security laws amendment act 2014 which it deemed to have immediate negative impact on Kenyans citizens, pending the hearing and determination of a petition by the Coalition of Reforms and Democracy CORD

The suspended clauses include freedom of the press, right to fair trial and clauses touching on International obligations to the rights of refugees. The new law had sought to limit the number of refugees in the country to a maximum of 150,000

Justice George Odunga was short of suspending the entire act observing that there were elements in the act that would not immediately interfere with fundamental freedoms and could be operational as the case proceeds.

The CORD coalition had sought conservatory orders on the act claiming that it is unconstitutional and that it was unprocedurally passed in the national assembly. The case has now been forwarded to the Chief Justice to constitute a bench of not less than three judges to hear the matter expeditiously