CORD returns to the streets Monday over IEBC stalemate

The Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) has given notice of yet another round demonstrations to push for the overhaul of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), throwing into disarray the dialogue process proposed by President Uhuru Kenyatta Wednesday.

In a letter to Nairobi County Police Commander Japheth Koome, CORD says  it plans to upscale the demonstrations from once to twice a week, with protests scheduled for Mondays and Thursdays effective next week.

The opposition coalition says it will ensure the demonstrations are peaceful by deploying marshals to guide and control demonstrators.

“The protests will be peaceful, and to ensure orderly procession, the coalition has made arrangements for peace marshals who will guide and manage the demonstrators,” said CORD in the letter.

In the letter, CORD secretariat CEO Norman Magaya has asked the County Commander  to “organize necessary security arrangements to ensure the safety of all leaders and wananchi who will participate in the demonstration.”

The notification by CORD comes barely hours after Statehouse denounced an earlier announcement by the opposition that the two coalitions had agreed on a four-member talks team to dialogue on the best way out of the IEBC stalemate.

On Thursday evening, CORD leader Raila Odinga – speaking at his Capitol Hill office – announced that the two coalitions had agreed on a four-member team to iron out outstanding issues before the Jubilee and Cord teams could formally begin IEBC talks. However in statement issued from Statehouse Jubilee disputed the Cord stance saying “There has not been any suggestion or agreement on this four-member committee.”

CORD has so far held five protests while dozens of others have been injured. At least six people died since, several other people injured and property worth millions of shillings destroyed.