Governor Ruto says beating of protesters by police unacceptable

Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto has challenged the government and the police force to desist from using excessive force in dealing with protesters.

Speaking on Tuesday during the opening of his Chama Cha Mashinani Party office in Kimogoro Trading Centre, Narok County, Ruto accused police of employing excessive force in quelling CORD’s anti-IEBC protests saying the coalition supporters, like other Kenyans, have a right to picket and express their views.

“Roughing up protesters is unconstitutional and should not be tolerated. Those who have issues with IEBC have a Constitutional right to express their views,” said Ruto.

Emurua Dikirr MP John Ngeno, in his address, said that Kenyans have no faith in IEBC adding that the only way out is the dissolution of the commission.

“IEBC in its current state cannot be salvaged. The only way out of this quagmire is to dissolve the institution and effect a complete overhaul,” he said.

He further supported CORD’s push for the removal of the commissioners saying they are within their rights to picket.

He noted that the commission should be removed, whether through protests or the Constitution, warning the government against actions that would put the life of CORD leader Raila Odinga in danger.

Police have in the past few days come under sharp criticism over apparent use of excessive force in dispersing CORD’s protests against IEBC on Monday.

Video and photo evidence shows anti-riot police officers pursuing and beating up CORD supporter in their bid to prevent them from accessing IEBC offices allocated at Anniversary Towers in Nairobi.

Earlier reports, which had claimed that the one of the protesters named Boniface Manono had died have however been confirmed to be untrue after he resurfaced late Tuesday.

In his press briefing outside Coptic Hospital where he had gone for a medical checkup, Manono refuted claims that he was party of the protesters saying he was roughed up as he attempted to head home from Westlands.

Question have however been raised over the believability of Manono’s statements especially since a stone can be clearly seen in one of the photos where he is being beaten up by police.

Manono can also be spotted in some of the pictures from the protests as one of the people in the protests.

Despite the apparent heavy-handedness of the police, CORD leader Raila Odinga has said that they will not relent in their push to force IEBC commissioners out of office, saying their next march will take place next Monday as planned.

Raila asserted that they will not be tyrannized by police brutality meted to their supporters during Monday’s protests saying their push for an overhaul of the electoral agency is in the interest of Kenyans.

@benjaminwafula