State House says anti-IEBC protests meant to subvert the law

The National Alliance Party Chairman Onyango Oloo, Executive Director Joseph Mathai and Administration Manager Jacinta Wanjiro address the media on the effects of the CORD protests across the country yesterday. They asked CORD to pay for their destroyed offices. (PHOTO: JENIPHER WACHIE/ STANDARD)

A State House official has said the weekly Opposition protests are meant to subvert the Constitution.

Public Communication Director Munyori Buku said the Constitution should be followed to expel the IEBC commissioners from office.

Mr Buku said the protests were akin to the mass action called by Raila Odinga in 2007 that led to post-election violence and eventually resulted in the coalition government.

“Eventually, Raila became the prime minister. The aim of the protests is to have the IEBC disbanded extra-constitutionally,” said Buku.

He said if this were done, it would follow that the new commission would be constituted extra-constitutionally and the Opposition would then push for their own officials in the new commission.

“That would create an electoral institution that takes instructions from outside the commission; from politicians and political parties. As to what would happen during or after the election, your guess is as good as mine,” said Buku.

He added: “In post-2008, innocent people were hauled to the ICC. Eventually, they were acquitted for lack of evidence.”

Buku said that the people of Kenya gave themselves a new Constitution and the Opposition cannot undo what the people enacted five years ago.

street protests

“Why has the Opposition opted for extra-legal means? Because they benefited from violence eight years ago,” said Buku.

Buku’s sentiments were shared by Jubilee’s Coast Co-ordinator Suleiman Shahbal who accused the Opposition of trying to use unconstitutional means to remove electoral commissioners.

Mr Shahbal said he also wanted the commission overhauled but decried street protests.

Shahbal who lost to Governor Hassan Joho in the 2013 elections said he wanted IEBC to be disbanded because it “mismanaged the last polls including in Mombasa”.

And hoteliers and players in the tourism sector also lamented that demonstrations in Mombasa could spark violence and unrest and reverse recent gains in the industry.

Speaking under the umbrella of the Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers (Kahc), the hoteliers said although citizens have a right to picket and express displeasure, the timing for the street demonstrations could spell doom for the tourism sector.

“It is Coast tourism that suffered immensely after travel warnings were issued by key source markets owing to terrorism-related issues. Now that there is relative calm, the industry should be allowed to get back on its feet,” Kahc Coast Branch Executive Officer Sam Ikwaye said.

He added: “The timing is wrong because the industry is slowly trying to get back on its feet. The Government has made it possible to have a standalone ministry and a minister well-versed with tourism matters but we fear for the worst should the demos persist.”

By Jacob Ngetich, Philip Mwakio and Mwangi Muraguri