Mombasa — Democratic Party leader Justin Muturi has strongly opposed the proposed Kenya-France Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA), raising concerns over sovereignty, legality and lack of public participation.
n a statement issued from Tononoka in Mombasa, Muturi said the agreement, as currently framed, poses serious constitutional and national security risks that must not be ignored.
He faulted the government for failing to conduct adequate public participation, arguing that any deal involving the presence of foreign military personnel on Kenyan soil requires prior and meaningful consultation with affected communities.
"The Constitution is clear--public participation is not optional," he said, warning that coastal communities, in particular, would bear the direct impact of such an agreement.
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Muturi also expressed concern over reported provisions that could grant foreign troops immunity from Kenyan law, describing it as a threat to the country's sovereignty and rule of law.
"Granting legal protections that shield foreign personnel from the jurisdiction of Kenyan courts is unacceptable," he said.
He further warned against rushing the agreement through without proper parliamentary scrutiny, saying any attempt to fast-track the process would be unconstitutional.
"Parliament exists to safeguard the interests of Kenyans, not to rubber-stamp opaque executive decisions," he added.
While acknowledging the importance of international security cooperation, Muturi stressed that such agreements must not compromise constitutional order, national dignity or citizens' rights.
He called for the immediate suspension of the agreement and its ratification process until full disclosure of its terms is made public, comprehensive public participation is conducted, and Parliament is given sufficient time to review and approve it.
Muturi also urged the government to remove any provisions that are inconsistent with the Constitution.
The proposed defence pact has yet to be formally tabled before Parliament, but debate around it is expected to intensify as scrutiny over foreign military arrangements in the region grows.
