Stay home during presidential election, Kisumu leaders tell residents

protester jumps over a bonfire during anti-election demos in Kisumu County on October 25, 2017. County leaders asked residents to stay home during the repeat presidential election on Thursday. PHOTO | TONNY OMONDI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Nasa leader has called for an election boycott.
  • Kisumu leaders on Wednesday led peaceful anti-election protests to the IEBC offices. There was no confrontation with the police.
  • County leaders asked voters to stay home and boycott the election.

The Kisumu County leadership has urged residents to stay indoors during Thursday’s fresh presidential election.

This follows Nasa leader Raila Odinga’s calls for an election boycott.

‘NO POLL’

Led by Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o on Wednesday, the Kisumu leaders vowed that no poll will be conducted in the county.

They spoke to Nasa supporters outside the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) offices where they staged protests against the election.

“Even though the Supreme Court was faced with a quorum hitch thus not delivering its verdict on the applications to stop the polls, our stand is that let us stay home tomorrow (Thursday),” Prof Nyong’o said.

Prof Nyong’o, his Deputy Mathews Owili, Senator Fred Outa, Kisumu Assembly speaker Onyango Oloo, Seme MP James Nyikal, former Muhoroni MP Prof Ayiecho Olweny and a host of MCAs addressed Nasa protestors after leading them in the demos from Kondele to the Central Nyanza IEBC offices.

SUPREME COURT

They spoke after the hearing of an application seeking to stop the repeat presidential election failed to take off due to a quorum hitch at the Supreme Court.

Only Chief Justice David Maraga and Justice Isaac Lenaola out of seven judges were present when the court convened at 11am.

Prof Nyong’o, however, said that under the Constitution, no Kenyan can be forced to vote.

“We are ready for Canaan. Our stand as Kisumu people is that we support Raila and Nasa 100 per cent,” the Governor said.

 “Uhuru (President Kenyatta), Ruto (DP William) and Jubilee must go home. We call on the people of Kisumu to maintain peace but not to take part in the election.”

CHAOS

The Governor claimed “some people have been planted to cause chaos in Kisumu.”

"We know the house where such plans were made and the people behind them. I also have information that some people were asked to throw a petrol bomb in my car," he said.

His Deputy Dr Owili echoed his sentiments that the people of Kisumu stay away during the planned election.

“There will be no election,” he said.

Mr Oloo said they will not allow to be led by force.

“We must end this dictatorship and say never again shall we be led by force. On the 27th we begin the long march to freedom,” said the Kisumu Assembly speaker.

“To Uhuru and Ruto, if you refuse to learn and govern with the benefit of history, you and your family will go down.”

IEBC

Mr Nyikal said Jubilee and the IEBC cannot expect to do a forceful election and hope to have a country to rule.

Mr Olweny stressed that nobody should leave their houses to vote on Thursday.

Senator Outa said: “There will be no election and even if [IEBC Chairman Wafula] Chebukati proceeds with the poll in other parts of the country, it will be null and void.”

"We are telling you not to attempt to access any polling station tomorrow. Nobody invited us to this country. We must teach Uhuru Kenyatta a lesson. The theft of elections must end this time."

PEACEFUL PROTESTS

Earlier the senator led the protestors from Kondele to the IEBC offices.

There was no confrontation between the protesting youth and the police although bonfires were lit in parts of Kisumu town and roads barricaded with rocks.

Speaking in Kondele, Mr Outa said they will continue with the peaceful protests as they await Nasa leader Raila Odinga's word.

"We will continue to hold the protests until we get a way forward. Tomorrow (Thursday), we vow no election will take place," he said.