Raila issues latest update on Murang’a meeting
3 min read
Raila invites Murang’a residents to public rally despite police order banning the meeting
Raila invites Murang’a residents to public rally despite police order banning the meeting.
Confrontation looms between police and Azimio La Umoja coalition leaders over a town hall meeting set to be held in Murang’a town on Thursday.
The coalition’s party leader Raila Odinga insisted that he will preside over the meeting, despite the police directive that barred the gathering.
On Wednesday, Raila invited residents to turn up in large numbers and freely engage on the issues affecting them.
“As part of our ongoing engagement with the public on the critical challenges facing our country including the high cost of basic commodities, search for electoral justice, reform and reconstitution of the IEBC and protection of our hard-won multi-party democracy, the leadership of Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition will hold a town hall meeting in Muranga Town tomorrow from 10 am,” he said.
“Like all engagements that the party has held in recent months, the Murang’a meeting will be peaceful and strictly within the law. I personally look forward to this engagement.”
Raila also said that similar engagements will be held in other parts of the country over the next couple of weeks.
Earlier in the day, Murang’a police commander David Mathiu rejected Azimio’s request to hold the meeting, saying that police are already deployed elsewhere.
Mathiu said he needed an earlier notification in order to prepare adding that a notice needs to have been submitted four days before, and Azimio presented it on Tuesday, two days before their planned meeting.
How Uhuru circumvented salary delays during his tenure
Constitutional expert weighs on Raila’s ICC case against IG Koome
Raila set for Mt Kenya tour ahead of weekly protests
He argued that the notice was to be served four days earlier for proper planning
Former Murang’a Governor Mwangi wa Iria former on Wednesday also vowed that the meeting will still take place as earlier planned.
Wa Iria told off the police saying they were not seeking the permission from the police to hold the meeting.
He said the constitution grants Kenyans the right to assemble.
“It is like people going to a church service and the police tell them that they need their permission. We are politicians and we don’t require anybody’s permission to meet.”
“However, for the sake of courtesy, we informed them and they said they have rejected it. I want to tell the police that we were not asking for their permission. I have already discussed with ‘Baba’ and the meeting is on.”
Also read,
Showdown looms as Azimio vows to hold Murang’a meeting despite police canceling it
Blow to Raila as police cancel Azimio’s Mt Kenya public rally
Babu Owino has a case to answer in a gun drama involving Dj Evolve; court now rules
Follow us
