Mombasa Speaker, MCA arrested over IEBC protests

The Mombasa County Assembly Speaker, a ward representative and more than 15 people were arrested on Monday morning as opposition supporters in the county joined protests against the electoral commission.

This was the first time for the county to join the demonstrations since they were started to force the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission out of office.

Speaker Thadius Rajwayi and Junda MCA Paul Onje were arrested at Uhuru Gardens soon after armed police dispersed demonstrators at around 10am.

The two leaders and other protesters were released on Monday evening.

Mr Rajwayi and Mr Onje had led the protesters ahead of ODM deputy party leader Hassan Joho’s arrival. Governor Joho later managed to lead the demonstrators to the electoral team’s offices in Mvita Constituency.

At the offices, they gave IEBC’s Mvita branch coordinator Nuru Maftah a petition calling for the removal of electoral commissioners, after which Mr Joho asked the protesters to go back to their businesses until Monday.

“It will be bigger than what we had today,” he said.

Before their release, Mombasa Urban police boss Lucas Ogara had said the leaders and other protesters would be charged.

The demonstrators had gathered at Uhuru Gardens from 9am, only to find more than 100 armed police officers waiting.

However, about 30 minutes later, police dispersed them with teargas and later cordoned off the grounds.

“We are all Kenyans and we have the right to demonstrate peacefully. We are urging the police to escort us as we march,” said Mr Joho, while addressing the protesters whom he asked to march peacefully.

However, in Kwale, Tana River, Taita-Taveta,  Kilifi and Lamu, the demonstrations did not take place, for the third time.

Taita-Taveta Governor John Mruttu and his Kwale counterpart Salim Mvurya, both of ODM, called for dialogue to resolve the stalemate. 

Mombasa-based rights group Haki Afrika said it supported dialogue, negotiations and discussions to end the dispute.