Top security organ ORDERS Raila to suspend rallies

Prime Minister Raila Odinga accompanied by Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka at Bomas of Kenya after chairing a Nairobi County CORD Leaders Forum. 

By EDITH FORTUNATE
Posted  Thursday, March 21  2013 at  05:47

Kenya's top security organ on Wednesday urged Prime Minister Raila Odinga to suspend planned rallies across the country which it says have the potential of igniting violence.

The National Security and Advisory Committee (NSAC) said that Mr Odinga's planned public meetings are unwarranted and could trigger animosity.

Leaders of the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy are scheduled to hold a series of rallies on Saturday and Sunday.

On Saturday, Mr Odinga, his running mate Kalonzo Musyoka Kalonzo and Bungoma Senator-elect Moses Wetangula will be in Kakamega. On Sunday, Mr Odinga will be in Kisumu.

A statement released by head of civil service Francis Kimemia, explained that Wednesday's security meeting was convened to deliberate Mr Odinga's recent claims that he had won the presidential elections.

At the meeting, the security organ upheld a directive by Inspector General David Kimaiyo that banned mass actions, demonstrations and political gatherings.

"Indeed, such meetings could obsolete gains made from the peaceful conduct of elections which demonstrated to the world that Kenya’s democracy had matured and investors were already releasing investment capital," said Mr Kimemia's statement.

On March 9, IEBC declared Mr Kenyatta winner of the presidential election with 6.1 million votes against Mr Odinga’s 5.3 million.

However on Monday, Mr Odinga claimed in Changamwe that he had won the election, saying he got a total 5.7 million votes against Mr Kenyatta’s 4.5 million.

Mr Odinga has filed a petition at the Supreme Court challenging IEBC’s decision to declare Mr Kenyatta as winner of the presidential election.

The security committee urged Mr Odinga to let the Judges of the Supreme Court to arbitrate on the petition protesting the results of the presidential election.

"Court process should be left to those authorized into courts. Any attempts to disrupt, discredit or intimidate the Courts, IEBC or other institutions of the State will not be tolerated," said Mr Kimemia's statement.

Further, the security committee supported "the ruling of the Chief Justice that matters in the petition should not be politicized or commented upon by political leaders as this is sub-judice and contemptuous to the Court."

It also announced that no crowds will be allowed to gather around the premises of the Supreme Court during hearings of the petition.

"Government took issue with idle, noisy mobs congregating outside Supreme Court of Kenya and KICC buildings and had become a public nuisance, was disrupting Court processes and business operations around the general area.

"This will be disallowed since strategic buildings were under security surveillance and such mobs are a security threat and should be advised to disperse with immediate effect," the statement said.

The committee also directed the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) and Security agencies to act on "those propagating hate speech and violence in the social media".