By Linah Benyawa
Police are planning to stop a prayer meeting called by the Mombasa Republican Council on Saturday in Kaloleni, Kilifi County raising fears of a clash.
Coast PPO Aggrey Adoli says his office is not aware of the planned meeting. “If they wanted to hold a prayer rally, they should have let the police know first,” he said.
Without giving details on the security arrangements, the police warned any assembly would be met with resistance. But MRC Secretary General, Hamza Randu, said the meeting would take place at the Kizurini Grounds as promised. The prayer meeting, MRC officials say, is to thank God for the recent court ruling that lifted the Government ban on the group.
He said MRC did not need to seek a license from the police to hold a prayer rally. “We are going to meet. This is a prayer meeting. We do not need a licence to hold this kind of event,” he said.
Randu said the group was shocked at the demands by police that they get a license for the meeting when International Criminal Court suspects were holding prayer rallies uninterrupted. Kaloleni AP Commander Khalifa Sianga said the meeting would be illegal.
