Musalia Mudavadi warns over ongoing street protests

Amani coalition leader Musalia Mudavadi speaking during the 13th quinquennial delegates conference at Tom Mboya Labour college in Kisumu on 21st May 2016 where Francis Atwoli was re-elected as the secretary general PIC BY COLLINS ODUOR

Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi has opposed CORD's street protests to push for electoral reforms.

Mr Mudavadi (pictured) warned that the protests were likely to stir animosity.

Speaking at Kisumu's Tom Mboya Labour College during the 13th Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) annual delegates conference, Mudavadi said that dialogue was the only way to restore order at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

The ANC leader reiterated the party's commitment to reforms at the IEBC, saying Kenyans have lost hope in the commission and that the commissioners should leave office.

"Integrity of IEBC is key to democracy and as a party we strongly support the commissioners' exit. But we think dialogue is the way to go as we do not want to witness loss of lives and destruction of property resulting from the street protests," said Mudavadi.

Mudavadi said President Uhuru Kenyatta, who has insisted that he has no powers to disband the commission, has no option but to act.

During his tour of North Eastern, Mr Kenyatta reiterated that he cannot dissolve IEBC and asked CORD to use the law to reform the commission.

"IEBC commissioners hold office in public trust, and when that trust has been lost then they have no reason clinging to the positions. The President must not wait for a crisis for him to act. He has the ability to let the commissioners understand what Kenyans are saying so that they leave office," said Mudavadi.

Francis Atwoli, who was re-elected for another five-year term as Cotu secretary general, however, differed with the ANC leader and said that Kenyans have a right to stage demos.