Demos are legal and will go on, say CORD leaders

NAIROBI: CORD leaders yesterday criticised city Police Commandant Japheth Koome over remarks that force will be used against demonstrators today.

Senators Johnstone Muthama (Machakos) and James Orengo (Siaya) said they had studied the court order issued by judge Isaac Lenaola on April 29, and it does not bar them from holding peaceful demonstrations.

Instead, they called on the police to comply with the law and ensure the protest against the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is not jeopardised by violence.

“Demonstrations will continue tomorrow. We have re-looked the court order and found no reason for the police commander to stop us from holding a peaceful protest,” said Mr Orengo.

He said the Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet and Mr Koome had no reason to declare their demo unlawful yet the right to picket and demonstrate is enshrined in the Constitution under Article 37.

“The court order issued by Justice Lenaola allowed us to picket and demonstrate. CORD is not storming or breaking into IEBC premises. We shall follow the law and we expect the police to also do the same,” added Orengo.

RECKLESS ACTION

Separately, ODM Chairman John Mbadi, and MPs Junet Mohammed and Opiyo Wandayi said the protests were legal and asked Mr Boinnet to read and understand the orders that were issued by the High Court over the anti-IEBC protests.

“The Inspector General will be held responsible for any reckless action the police will take against protesters. We will institute private prosecution and there is nothing stopping us from referring it to the international community,” said Mr Mbadi.

Orengo and Muthama said if there will be violence today, then it will not be from CORD supporters but from police themselves who have vowed to use force in order to portray the Opposition in bad light.

Muthama said the pronouncements by Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria that he will mobilise people to counter CORD during demonstrations were unfortunate and should not be treated casually.

He said since CORD started its street protests, it had not participated in any acts of violence and accused the police of instigating mayhem that has since left three people dead and scores of others injured.

“Jubilee administration is taking an oath to engage in violence. But we are telling them that we shall not be cowed or threatened because, in all our demonstrations, we have remained and conducted them in a peaceful way,” said Muthama.
Mr Mohamed termed the ban by police as an insult to the police reforms.

He said police should operate independently without being perceived to be receiving instructions from certain political quarters.

“There is no court order barring us from protesting peacefully. I only heard of the order from Deputy President William Ruto; unless such an order is from Jubilee,” said Mohamed.

He added: “We are neither planning to loot nor vandalize property. Ours is a peaceful protest.”