Youths burn Okoa Kenya booklets at CORD Coast rally

Kilifi, Kenya: Rowdy youths burnt copies of Okoa Kenya booklets delivered by CORD leader Raila Odinga to Tana River residents as the team braved a hostile reception in Kilifi town over the weekend.

The rally held near Kilifi GK Prison was marred by booing and heckling even as Raila termed the referendum push a new dawn for Kenya.

Before his convoy arrived at the packed rally, residents said passengers in an unknown vehicle went round distributing leaflets that described Raila and CORD's leadership as failures.

The leaflets said Raila and Siaya Senator James Orengo had served in the Grand Coalition but failed to improve the living standards of Kenyans.

Raila, who was accompanied by Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi, senators Moses Wateng'ula (Bungoma), Stewart Madzayo (Kilifi), Hassan Omar (Mombasa), Bony Khalwale (Kakamega), and CORD Minority Chief Whip MP for Wundanyi, Thomas Mwadeghu, accused the Jubilee administration of killing devolution.

FIVE YOUTHS

On Saturday, five youths attacked clerks who were collecting signatures and burnt two booklets immediately after Raila had left the stadium.

"Five rowdy youths allied to ODM officials opposed to the referendum push snatched the books from the clerks after Raila left, and burnt them outside the stadium," said Tana River branch co-ordinator Ernest Akumu yesterday.

Area OCPD Sylvester Akumu said the matter was being investigated as reports showed the five had recorded statements with police over the matter.

In Malindi town, Mr Kingi claimed some youths had been paid by local politicians opposed to the referendum to disrupt CORD rallies in Kilifi County.

"Pesa Mashinani should not be viewed as a CORD or Jubilee affair. It is for all of us and therefore nobody should sponsor violence," Kingi advised.

But yesterday, Kilifi North MP Gideon Mung'aro, who is leading CORD MPs against the campaigns, denied his team paid youths to disrupt Raila's rallies in Kilifi.

Mr Mung'aro said his team did not have money to pay anybody and called on youths to give all leaders time to air their views.

Mung'aro, Kilifi South MP Mustafa Iddi, Malindi MP Dan Kazungu and Kilifi Woman Rep Aisha Jumwa skipped the Kilifi rallies addressed by Raila at the weekend.

MANAGE AFFAIRS

 

Mung'aro shifted his political allegiance to the Government after he was replaced by Mr Mwadeghu as minority whip in the National Assembly three months ago.

Raila said Kenyans voted for the new Constitution so they could manage their own affairs at county level but devolution was being frustrated by the Jubilee administration.

The CORD leader said his team was fighting for the rights of the people by pushing for a review of the Constitution through the Okoa Kenya referendum.

"It's a new dawn for Kenyans and I urge you citizens to unite and demand your rights by fully supporting the Okoa Kenya referendum call," said Raila.

During the Kilifi rallies, Mwadeghu said he did not betray Mung'aro and Coast people by taking up the position, adding that he could not led the post go outside the region.

Wetang'ula said CORD politicians who had broken ranks with the coalition to work with Jubilee were not doing it for the welfare of the people who elected them but serving their own interests.