Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya /X
Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya has disclosed the reason that led to the deployment of Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) to the streets during the Gen Z anti-finance bill protests in June 2025 was to bolster police efforts in the streets.
Tuya was addressing the modalities of KDF involvement in internal security operations at the Senate Plenary where she had appeared on Wednesday.
The Defence CS cited Article 241 (3) (b) of Kenya's constitution to declare the deployment of the Kenya Defence Forces in support of the National Police Service as the reason behind the deployment.
She noted that her ministry was a member of the National Security Council as established by the constitution which involved all the security agencies in the country mandating her ministry to collaborate and coordinate with the others.
“Under Article 241 (3) (b) of Kenya's constitution which speaks to the collaboration of KDF and other security agencies, an example of this deployment is the operation Maliza Uhalifu in the North Rift as well as the Northern Eastern region operation,” CS Tuya cited.
“And of course of keen interest is the deployment of June 25 which again falls under article 241 (3) (b) where KDF was deployed to offer support to the National Police Service to deal with the unrest that the country went through at that point.”
According to Tuya, the deployment was within the law, which she says allows internal deployment of the armed forces in matters of national security.
Tuya added that the security agency was represented in the National Security Council Committee which was the supporting arm of the National Security Council which attributed to their involvement in security matters.
Last year, Members of Parliament had approved the deployment of Kenya Defense Forces officers within the country to restore order after protests turned deadly when the protesters breached the National Assembly.
Military presence including armed officers and armored vehicles were later deployed to patrol the streets in Nairobi.
