Bid to disrupt Raila rally in Nakuru flops
Chanting slogans, youths engaged police in running battles after they attempted to disrupt Mr Odinga's meeting.
Sunday June 12 2016
Jubilee supporters protest in Nakuru on June 11, 2016. They stormed
Donnies Hotel where Cord leader was meeting various groups demanding
that he immediately leaves the county. PHOTO | SULEIMAN MBATIAH | NATION
MEDIA GROUP
At exactly 3 pm on Saturday, Mr Odinga arrived at the venue and was welcomed by his supporters before proceeding to address the meeting for 20 minutes.
However, immediately his motorcade left the venue escorted by the cheering crowd, Mr Mbugua, accompanied by his deputy Mr Joseph Ruto, Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri, County Secretary Joseph Mogusu Motari, Nakuru businessman Zachayo Maina, Mr Francis Njoroge (MCA London Ward) and a group of rowdy youths stormed the venue and started addressing a handful of their supporters.
Mr Odinga had announced that the Opposition will marshal its supporters on Monday and Thursday and stage peaceful demonstrations in Nairobi and other parts of the country.
He urged his supporters to turn out in large numbers countrywide and stage peaceful demonstrations without destroying private property and injuring innocent people.
“On Monday, I urge you to turn out in large numbers and stage peaceful demonstrations carrying white handkerchiefs without throwing stones or damaging private property along the streets,” said Mr Odinga.
“We want a level playing field and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has taken sides. We shall not allow it to supervise the 2017 elections,” said Mr Odinga.
Waving a book titled “The Kenya People’s Case Against IEBC”, Mr Odinga claimed that IEBC participated in election malpractice as its record showed that more people voted in the presidential election than for other elective positions.
“There were six ballot papers for MCA, MP, Women Rep, senator, governor and president but, surprisingly, two million people voted only for the president. This is a clear indication that votes were stolen by IEBC,” claimed Mr Odinga.
He described IEBC as a “slaughter house” that must be demolished as it was only answerable to the Jubilee administration.
Cord leader Raila Odinga addresses a rally at
Kabtembwa in Nakuru on June 11, 2016 after police repelled protesters
who had stormed a hotel where he was meeting various groups. PHOTO |
SULEIMAN MBATIAH | NATION MEDIA GROUP
The Opposition leader said that contrary to belief that he was opposed to talks with Jubilee leaders, he stated that he was ready to lead Cord to the negotiating table with the government to bring the desired changes at the electoral body as long as the talks were conducted outside Parliament.
“The talks must be held outside Parliament and, after we have agreed, Parliament can take over the next stage without making any change to what is agreed upon by the two parties,” he said.
He denied that he was forcing Jubilee to the negotiating table, saying, “I want us to agree as gentlemen but if they decline my conditions, then we shall continue with our demonstrations.”
Earlier in the morning, a meeting by Mr Odinga at a Nakuru hotel was disrupted by rowdy Jubilee-allied youths who attempted to storm the premises.
The Cord leader was meeting professionals from various communities and leaders at the Donnies Hotel before heading to the Mkarafuu grounds in Kaptembwa area later in the afternoon for a rally.
The more than 70 unruly youths were chanting slogans. They arrived at around 11 am and threatened to eject Mr Odinga from the premises, accusing him of planning to disrupt peace at the Rift Valley town.
They were chanting slogans in praise of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto.
Residents flee after Jubilee and Cord supporters
clashed outside Donnies Hotel, in Nakuru on June 11, 2016, where Cord
leader was holding a meeting with various groups. PHOTO | SULEIMAN
MBATIAH | NATION MEDIA GROUP
The stone pelting youth however, clashed with Mr Odinga’s supporters at the hotel, forcing police officers who had responded to use teargas canisters to disperse them.
They engaged police in running battles for hours as they repeatedly attempted to eject the CORD leader from the hotel but police managed to thwart their efforts and secure the hotel.
Mr Odinga who was accompanied by Members of parliament John Mbadi (Suba) Irshad Sumra (Embakasi South) and Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja) among other leaders however, managed to leave the hotel using a back exit and proceeded to lead the rally at the Mkarafuu grounds.
A Jubilee coalition supporter carries a stone
during the clash with their Cord counterparts outside Donnies Hotel, in
Nakuru on June 11, 2016, where Raila Odinga had a meeting with various
groups. PHOTO | SULEIMAN MBATIAH | NATION MEDIA GROUP
“Jubilee Coalition has already engaged the opposition in talks aimed at solving the IEBC stand-off, therefore l do not see why the CORD leader is insisting that they will proceed with street protests on Monday,” said Mr Ngunjiri.
The MP also accused Mr Odinga of planning to overthrow the Jubilee government using the back door, and said they will not sit and allow that to happen.
“Mr Odinga is not honesty and is planning to topple the Government. We do want anti-IEBC demonstrations in Nakuru,” said Mr Ngunjiri.
However, Mr Odinga and other leaders later condemned Mr Ngunjiri while addressing supporters at the rally.
Jubilee youth hold a protest in Nakuru, on June
11, 2016, outside Donnies Hotel where Cord leader Raila Odinga held a
meeting with various groups. PHOTO | SULEIMAN MBATIAH | NATION MEDIA
GROUP
Jubilee supporters protest in Nakuru on June 11,
2016 outside Donnies Hotel where Cord leader was meeting various
groups. They demanded he immediately leaves the count
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