Sonko cancels Raila’s meeting at Uhuru Park
This is final message from Sonko.
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Nasa presidential candidate Raila Odinga was set to make his major announcement on Wednesday ahead of the repeat rematch between him and Jubilee’s Uhuru Kenyatta.
The city County government has divulged that the National Super Alliance team did not make an official booking of the venue and has directed that the police should seal off the venue with immediate effect.
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Mr Sonko through a statement requested the Nairobi County Police Commander Japheth Koome to secure the historic park.
“It has come to my attention that the National Super Alliance (Nasa) leaders plan to use Uhuru Park Grounds today for a political meeting. However, records at City Hall show that they have not followed the procedures to secure the said grounds for their meeting,” read Governor Sonko’s statement.
Mr Sonko had said that no meeting would be allowed of whatever nature at Uhuru Park Wednesday without express authority and approval from his government. The governor added that the police should secure the grounds in a bid to keep off the opposition from holding the rally.
“By the authority of this letter, kindly ensure no such illegal meeting is held against our authority and against the law. It is therefore my humble request that you secure Uhuru Park Grounds unless you receive written authority and approval by the County Government of Nairobi over the same,” added Mr Sonko.
The new directive issue on Wednesday morning adds weight to an earlier directive by the National Police Service, which citing National Order Act, outlawed political gatherings, after the expiry of campaign periods by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), ahead of repeat polls, which also hangs in the balance.
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Nasa presidential candidate Raila Odinga who was set for a major political announcement to his supporters in regard to Thursday’s elections, may be forced to change his strategy the last minute after Mr Boinnett’s order.
Mr Boinnett on Wednesday morning issued a stern warning to politicians planning to have public gatherings, arguing that such meetings would be illegal, and in contravention of the Public Order Act, which he snipped on Twitter.
“No person shall hold a public meeting or a public procession except in accordance with the provisions of this section,” he said.
He added: “We are set and ready to offer Policing Services for the remaining segment in the national elections calendar.”
The new announcement comes as surprise to the Nasa allied lawmakers who were expected to have a major rally at Uhuru Park ahead of Mr Odinga’s announcement.
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Mr Odinga had earlier told his supporters to hold massive demonstrations on Thursday but would later change his tune after a grilling interview with the BBC Africa.
He distanced himself from calling on his supporters to throng streets in demonstrations and instead urged them to stay at home and instructed them not to participate in the elections.
“We have not told people to demonstrate on the day of the poll, we have not said that at all, we have told them to stay away,” Mr Odinga stated.
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