Governor Joho to lead anti-IEBC protests in Mombasa

Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho has announced that he will lead a peaceful march against the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) in the county on Monday.

Speaking after attending the commemoration of Siloam Ministry Church’s eleventh anniversary in Mtopanga, Governor Joho called on CORD supporters to turn up in large numbers and conduct themselves with decorum during the protest to prevent clashing with authorities.

“We want to hold a very peaceful demonstration on Monday and we expect the police to provide us with security and escort us to IEBC offices so that we can present our petition.”

“We do not want to disrupt other people’s businesses or bring the county to a halt. We want the march to be peaceful and organised.”

Other than Nairobi and Mombasa, CORD officials from two other counties – Kakamega and Bungoma –  have also vowed to hold similar protests to push for the removal of IEBC commissioners.

Speaking in Bungoma on Sunday, Senator Moses Wetangula urged residents of the county to turn out in large numbers during the protests in solidarity with their counterparts from across the country.

He urged security officers to desist from using teargas and water cannons to disperse the protestors, stating that any such acts will prompt them to take legal action against the Inspector General of Police and the Interior Cabinet Secretary.

Wetangula mentioned that three Jubilee MPs – Moses Kuria (Gatundu South), Dennis Waweru (Dagoretti South) and Maina Kamanda (Starehe) – were planning to hire members of the outlawed Mungiki sect to cause chaos and disrupt their protest in Nairobi.

He warned the legislators against acts of incitement that may lead to destruction of property and injuries. The protest will be CORD’s fourth in a span of one month as they seek to mount pressure on IEBC commissioners to resign.

The coalition leaders have claimed that IEBC as currently constituted is allied to Jubilee, with Raila Odinga claiming that there are plans for the commissioners to rig the elections in favour of the incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta.

IEBC chair Isaack Hassan has however resisted calls for his resignation, though noting that he is ready to engage CORD in talks that would help solve the outstanding issues.

@benjaminwafula