Feuding parties plan rival meetings

Two rival political camps on Sunday claimed to have been cleared to hold prayer rallies at Uhuru Park on Monday.

MPs allied to Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Eldoret North MP William Ruto and ODM leaders traded accusations over the venue, even as police said they were not aware of the planned rallies.

“Those who are saying they have notified the police are lying. But they can go ahead and hold the rally.

“They do not need to notify the police because the new Constitution says one does not need to notify the police before holding a public meeting,” Provincial Police Officer Anthony Kibuchi said.

The rivals inspected the grounds separately on Sunday and declared that they would go on with their rallies.

Speaking at the grounds, assistant ministers Aden Duale, Mwangi Kiunjuri, Lewis Nguyai and Ferdinand Waititu and MPs Gidion Mbuvi, Zakayo Cheruiyot and Joshua Kutuny said they had obtained a permit from the Nairobi City Council to hold the rally for the Ocampo Six.

“We want to confirm that we have a permit from the City Council of Nairobi to hold the rally starting 11.30am. Our colleagues from The Hague are arriving in the country at 6.30am, and from there, we will have a procession from the airport through Jogoo Road to Uhuru Park,” Mr Duale said.

Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka is expected at the rally organised by the pro-Kenyatta and Ruto MPs. “Yes, the Vice-President will attend the prayer rally at Uhuru Park,” said his spokesman Kaplich Barsito.

The ODM group, led by assistant minister Elizabeth Ongoro, nominated MP Rachel Shebesh and former Makadara MP Reuben Ndolo, read mischief in their rival’s rally.

“We were the first ones to book this venue. Their rally was for today (Sunday) and not tomorrow (Monday). They simply want a showdown in Nairobi,” Ms Ongoro stated.

She added: “We have a valid permit to hold a prayer rally for victims of the post-election violence at Uhuru Park today.

“We have invited religious leaders from all over the country. We have also invited Kenyans from all walks of life, including the PNU guys, to come and join us in prayers.”

Senior police officers were holed up in a meeting with Nairobi Provincial Commissioner Waweru Ndirangu on Sunday, but we could not immediately establish what they discussed.

Differences between the two groups emerged on Thursday when the PNU group accused ODM of locking them out of all venues that included Kamukunji and Uhuru Park for Monday’s event. (READ: Uhuru, Ruto thanksgiving rally set for Sunday)

The PNU group stormed Nairobi Town Clerk Philip Kisia’s offi ce demanding an explanation. Attempts to get a comment from Mr Kisia on Sunday were unsuccessful as he did not respond to our calls.

The pro-Kenyatta and Ruto MPs declined to say which of the Ocampo Six would turn up for the homecoming rally, even as it became apparent that majority of the suspects may stay away following the International Criminal Court’s terse warning on making inflammatory speeches.

On Sunday evening, Government Spokesman Alfred Mutua said ODM deputy party leader Musalia Mudavadi had been asked to prevail on supporters not to disrupt the homecoming rally for the Ocampo Six.

He accused the party of playing dirty politics. “Other ODM leaders are also being contacted so as to be asked to stop their members from disrupting a legally planned meeting with an intention of causing violence,” he said in a statement.