Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Police break up Wamalwa youth rally


Jeff Davis  | NATION Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa (right) and his supporters choke on teargas lobbed by police at Kamakunji Grounds, Nairobi, on Monday. The MP and former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga defied a police ban against holding the youth rally at the historic grounds on security grounds. Police blocked Mr Wamalwa from reaching the grounds and Embakasi MP Ferdinand Waititu was arrested for inciting youths into violence.
Jeff Davis | NATION Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa (right) and his supporters choke on teargas lobbed by police at Kamakunji Grounds, Nairobi, on Monday. The MP and former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga defied a police ban against holding the youth rally at the historic grounds on security grounds. Police blocked Mr Wamalwa from reaching the grounds and Embakasi MP Ferdinand Waititu was arrested for inciting youths into violence.  
By NATION TEAM newsdesk@ke.natonmedia.comPosted Monday, December 13 2010 at 21:00

Police on Monday lobbed teargas canisters at a member of parliament in Nairobi after outlawing a youth meeting.
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Another MP, Mr Ferdinard Waititu of Embakasi, who is also an assistant minister for Water, was arrested, accused of inciting the residents of a Nairobi slum to resist police eviction orders. He is expected to be charged on Tuesday.
And Mr Eugene Wamalwa, the MP for Saboti, was blocked from reaching Kamukunji grounds where he was to address a rally.
Officers from the General Service Unit cordoned off the grounds as early as 7am.
When Mr Wamalwa arrived at the grounds at 10am in the company of supporters, the police charged, lobbying tear gas and firing in the air. The MP and his supporters were forced to flee.
Hundreds of youths had journeyed from Kabete, Kiambu, Thika and Western Province to attend the rally and express support for Mr Wamalwa who wishes to run for president in 2012.
Mr Wamalwa was accompanied to the rally by former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga.
The MP condemned the police action, saying it broke the law.
“Under article 37 of the Constitution, we have the right to assembly,” Mr Wamalwa said, adding that he had papers authorising the gathering.
“We are here to test whether this Constitution is a mere piece of paper, or whether this Constitution can work.”
In the excitement, police arrested a Nation reporter and locked him up at the Buru Buru Police station. The journalist properly identified himself but the officers released him only after the intervention of force bosses.
Mr Wamalwa said he has instructed his lawyer, Mr Paul Muite, to sue the government for violating the Constitution by breaking up the rally.
Nominated MP and Ford Kenya chairman Musikari Kombo said the police action confirmed the views expressed in the Wikileaks cables that the country’s leaders are against reforms.
Previous attempts by Mr Wamalwa to hold rallies in Nairobi and Bungoma have been unsuccessful after police cancelled them, citing security reasons.
“We are going to demand an explanation in Parliament tomorrow (Tuesday). These people think we are still operating under the old constitution,” Mr Wamalwa said later at a press conference in Nairobi West.
Mr Waititu was arrested after he allegedly went to KPA slums and told the dwellers to ignore police orders to move out of the area. The officers led by Embakasi OCPD Rono Bunei had gone to the slum to execute an eviction order.

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