State House dimisses Raila's declaration of detained MPs as political prisoners

Jun. 16, 2016,

By PATRICK VIDIJA and EMMANUEL WANJALA, @starkenya

Cord leader Raila Odinga addresses the media at Pangani police station where some of the politicians arrested over hate remarks are being held, June 16, 2016. Photo/COLLINS KWEYU

Cord has threatened to declare its legislators currently detained in police custody political prisoners if they are not released. 

The Opposition also announced plans to hold a public meeting and a vigil at the Freedom Corner on Saturday in the event the 24-hour ultimatum elapses. 

In a press statement, the group said they will cease all engagements in dialogue in respect of IEBC, instead they will intensify demonstrations and protests. 

"If our demands are not considered, we will resume our national demonstrations and protests on Monday June 20, 2016," reads the statement. 

The Coalition announced to hold a prayer service 'for all the political prisoners' in Machakos town on Sunday June 19, 2016. 

"We wish to draw the attention of Kenyans and the international community to the crisis of governance that is taking roots in our country. This crisis is taking the form of a slow but steady slide to dictatorship through a crackdown on free speech in the name of national security and public order" Cord said. 

According to the coalition, Kenya is sliding into a society in which the government is directly threatening opposition politicians, depriving them of freedom of speech and assembly in public and other places. 

They also lamented fabrication of trumped up charges against the Opposition. 

"Persistent threats have become everyday things in the life of the opposition. Everybody who calls for accountability, equity, fairness in government immediately becomes an enemy of the regime," leaders Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetang'ula said. 

"We are not going to waste time blaming individual leaders and institutions of government. The current state of the arbitrary exercise of power and disregard of democratic principles falls on the feet of the President," says the statement. 

In a quick rejoinder to the Cord statement, State House said 'Raila is a frustrated man because his penchant for mindless anarchy has elicited the skepticism and disdain of Kenyans’. 

Eric Ng'eno, senior director messaging, said that the opposition leader’s influence is sublime without the support of people who are willing and able to do his bidding. 

Ng’eno claimed that Raila’s threats are akin to him poking the wounds of the 2007 post election violence for selfish gain. 

“Kenyans have not forgotten PEV. Kenya will never forget PEV. We have a constitution, laws and institutions which can and will stand this nation in good stead at all times, and act as proof against divisive, violent and chaotic machinations of any politicians,” he said. 

Ng’eno pointed out that time has come for Kenyans to unite and boldly reject calls for lawlessness, regardless of who makes them. 

He said that Kenyans must realize that the exercise of an individual’s constitutional rights must not victimize other people