State backs Matiang’i’s stance on violent demos, says Ruto

Protesters along Moi Avenue are caught up in a cloud of smoke on October 13, 2017 after police lobbed a teargas canister to disperse the crowd. The government has banned all Anti-IEBC demos from all major cities countrywide. PHOTO | FRANCIS NDERITU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Ruto told the Opposition to stop spreading lies during their trips abroad that the country is facing threats to peace.
  • Mr Tuju described Mr Raila Odinga as “the most illegitimate leader” after comments by the Nasa co-principal that the scheduled poll will be an attempt to legitimise President Kenyatta’s second term.
  • On Saturday, some opposition lawmakers, led by Siaya Senator James Orengo, accused Dr Matiang’i and Inspector-General of Police Joseph Boinnet of formulating a policy to kill and maim Nasa demonstrators.

Deputy President William Ruto has declared the government’s support for Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i’s firmness against violent anti-electoral commission protests.

This comes even as National Super Alliance MPs accused the government of formulating a policy to kill the opposition coalition’s supporters.

At the same time, Jubilee Party secretary-general Raphael Tuju called for the arrest of Nasa leaders following a threat to disrupt the October 26 repeat presidential election.

Mr Ruto, who spoke at the African Independent Pentecostal Church of Africa in Bahati, Nairobi, noted that even though every Kenyan has a right to peaceful demonstration, acts of violence that may lead to loss of lives, injuries and destruction of property will not be allowed.

STAND FIRM

“Matiang’i should stand firm because we will not accept instability disguised as violent demonstrations. We urge our competitors to respect the rule of law and they should know that the government will not sit back and watch,” Mr Ruto said on Sunday.

He told the Opposition to stop spreading lies during their trips abroad that the country is facing threats to peace.

Speaking at the Multimedia University after the training of 823 agents and lawyers, Mr Tuju said: “The law requires the IEBC (Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission) to open its polling stations at 6am. Anybody who tries to disrupt voting in any way commits an offence and is liable to a jail term of five years.”

He went on: “If anyone thinks they can benefit from an illegality, what law is that? Our competitors are in a corner.”

ILLEGITIMATE LEADER

Mr Tuju described Mr Raila Odinga as “the most illegitimate leader” after comments by the Nasa co-principal that the scheduled poll will be an attempt to legitimise President Kenyatta’s second term.

“Even if we do the election after 60 days, or 90 or 1,000, the result will be the same. We won the election after the mass voter registration in February 2016. Nasa should forget about this and plan for 2022,” said Mr Tuju.

This came as Jubilee Senator Johnson Sakaja (Nairobi) and members of the National Assembly Kanini Kega (Kieni) and John Kiarie (Dagoretti South), who had accompanied the Deputy President on Sunday, urged President Uhuru Kenyatta to sign the controversial Election Laws (Amendment) Bill into law.

Mr Sakaja and Mr Kega were optimistic that the President will secure a resounding victory in the fresh election. “We have changed the law to ensure clarity in the elections and we are asking the President to sign the bill into law,” said Mr Sakaja.

POLICY

The bill, which was passed in the National Assembly and the Senate last week, proposes, among other things, that in the absence of the IEBC chairperson and vice-chairperson, any commissioner shall announce the winner in a presidential election.

The Constitution requires only the commission chairperson to perform this role.

On Saturday, some opposition lawmakers, led by Siaya Senator James Orengo, accused Dr Matiang’i and Inspector-General of Police Joseph Boinnet of formulating a policy to kill and maim Nasa demonstrators.

Mr Orengo invited Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, among other lobbies, to investigate the killings with a view to charging Dr Matiang’i and Mr Boinnet with genocide committed against unarmed protesters.