Don't pass the anti-terror law, Eliud Owalo tells President Uhuru Kenyatta

Kenya: Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga's Campaign Secretariat manager, Eliud Owalo has singled out some provisions in the proposed anti-terror law as retrogressive and aimed at reverting the country to an autocratic state.

Owalo said that the provision that gives powers of appointment of the Inspector General of Police to the President and that which enables the Police to hold suspects in custody for up to one year as untenable.

This he said was an attempt by the Jubilee administration to revert Kenya into a repressive State, reminiscent of the single political party era.

"There is a systematic attempt by President Uhuru Kenyatta to revert Kenya to a police state as was witnessed during the Kanu era with the intention of perpetuating himself in Power," said Owalo.

Addressing a meeting in Kamukunji grounds over the weekend where he presented cheques to youth groups, Mr Owalo told President Kenyatta that history will judge him very harshly if he assents to the Bill in its current form.

He noted that this will be tantamount to taking from Kenyans using his left hand what the Constitution has guaranteed them with the right.

He appealed to all Kenyans of goodwill to resist a reversal of the gains derived from the new Constitution, even if it means resorting to countrywide mass action to prevent mutilation of the hard-earned constitution by the Jubilee regime.

"We should all be at the forefront in standing up to oppose mutilation of freedoms and liberties by the forces of impunity to facilitate misrule in Kenya. We will use all means to oppose this move," said Owalo.

The Nairobi Management Consultant appealed to the Church to join forces with the opposition and the Civil Society to forestall the proposed Security Amendment Bill 2014 which he described as draconian and retrogressive, should it be passed into law.

Owalo who is also a Nairobi Management consultant, donated Sh200,000 to the Kibera Mashimoni Friends Church and presided over a harambee for the SDA Church at Kisumu Ndogo in the same constituency that realized a total of Sh450,000 with his personal contribution of Sh150,000.