ODM faults Nakuru governor for confiscating referendum booklets

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary-General Anyang’ Nyong’o during a past press conference. ODM has taken issue with Nakuru Governor Kinuthia Mbugua for confiscating Okoa Kenya booklets from registration clerks. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has rebuked Nakuru Governor Kinuthia Mbugua for confiscating Okoa Kenya booklets from registration clerks.

ODM Secretary-General Anyang Nyong’o called the move “not only criminal but draconian”.

“We wish to remind Mr Mbugua that this is a new era and that his style of administration, that of intimidation and oppressiveness which he adopted while serving in the provincial administration is not welcome in the present dispensation,” he said in a statement.

Last week, the Nakuru governor said referendum signature registers confiscated in different parts of Nakuru would be returned to Cord offices in the neighbouring Kericho County.

A carton full of referendum registration documents had been confiscated in Mariashoni, Nakuru County, after members of the public reported that some "strangers" were distributing the books.

CONDEMNED NANDI ATTACKS

The party also condemned the attack on the Nandi County chief of staff during during an anti-referendum rally on Monday.

During the incident, youths supporting the push for a referendum attempted to disrupt the rally organised by the URP party but were repulsed.

In the ensuing chaos, the chief of staff and some of the supporters of Governor Cleophas Lagat, who supports the referendum campaign, were seriously injured.