Police disperse anti-IEBC protesters in Kisii County
Kisii Woman Representative Janet Ong'era. Youth protested against her being harassed in an anti-IEBC demonstration and asked CS Fred Matiang'i to respect her. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- They were protesting against harassment of Janet Ong'era.
- They asked acting Interior CS Fred Matiang'i to respect leaders.
Hundreds of pro-ODM youth holding anti-IEBC protests in Kisii County on Tuesday were forced to scamper for safety after anti-riot police lobbed tear gas canisters to disperse them.
Several boda boda operators fled and left their motorcycles in the streets to avoid arrest as AP officers engaged them in running battles.
POLLS BOYCOTT
The protest lasted for about a half an hour after they walked along Kisii-Kisumu Highway before they branched into Hospital Road where they were dispersed.
Group leader Denis Mosoti said they were protesting against the harassment of Woman Representative Janet Ong'era during anti-IEBC protests in Nairobi on Monday.
“We are here and want to tell the acting Interior Cabinet Secretary that he should respect our women leaders,” he said.
Mr Mosoti asked acting Interior CS Dr Fred Matiang’i to restrain the police from using excessive force in quelling peaceful protests.
The youth said they will rally the community to boycott the repeat presidential poll until the reforms advocated by the National Super Alliance (Nasa) had been addressed.
PEACEFUL PROTESTS
Mr Daudi Abuya, a Nasa youth leader, said the Constitution backed peaceful protests and security agents should not use excessive force in dispersing demonstrators.
“We are angry that the government has resorted to desperate tactics to clobber peaceful protesters. This is dictatorship and an act that goes against the tenets of the Constitution,” he said.
The youth were dispersed as they addressed journalists outside the Nation offices in Kisii.
A number of boda bodas were destroyed.
