Police in Nakuru were forced to shoot in the air as a group of rowdy youths attempted to storm a hotel where CORD leader Raila Odinga was meeting his supporters.
The group, which was accompanied by local Jubilee leaders, claimed the former Prime Minister was planning to incite his supporters to stage demonstrations in the town next week.
A handful of police officers who arrived at Donnie’s Hotel in Olive Inn estate in the outskirts of the town managed to disperse the youth. But the group, which was chanting pro-Jubilee slogans and carrying placards bearing anti-Raila messages, regrouped in front of the hotel as the small number police officers present failed to contain them.
Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri, London MCA Francis Njoroge and his Nakuru East Ward counterpart James Humphrey Mwaniki addressed the group outside the hotel. The leaders said they would not allow the CORD leader to incite his supporters to violence.
A journalist was injured after a stone hit him as the Jubilee and CORD factions engaged each other in running battles.
All this while, Raila was locked in a three-hour consultative meeting with professionals and leaders of the town’s minority communities inside the hotel.
The CORD leader, who was who was accompanied by MPs John Mbadi (Suba), Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja) and Irshad Sumra (Embakasi South), was forced to use the hotel’s rear exit on his way to a rally at the Mukarafuu grounds in Kaptembwo slums.
But the Jubilee brigade stormed the rally just as the CORD leader was winding up his address. Ngunjiri’s team was joined by Governor Kinuthia Mbugua, his deputy Joseph Ruto and a host of MCAs.
To avoid a confrontation, Raila exited the grounds hurriedly, leaving the crowd to Mbugua and his group who used the same podium and public address system to address the gathering.
Earlier on, Raila had told the rally that CORD would continue its anti-IEBC demonstrations on Monday and Thursday until President Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto accept the opposition’s terms on the talks.
“All we will carry during the protest are white handkerchiefs to symbolise peace,” he said.
He said the Opposition would not negotiate with Jubilee over IEBC until civil society, religious leaders and smaller political parties are involved in the talks.
Raila said CORD would not want discussions on IEBC reforms to be controlled by the Jubilee-dominated Parliament.
Jubilee, which had on Thursday picked a team of 11 legislators to represent it in discussions with the Opposition, insists CORD should select its representatives to the talks and stop issuing fresh demands.
The the ruling coalition insists that dialogue must be guided by Parliament’s Standing Orders, while CORD says the talks should be held outside the legislative confines and include other stakeholders.
But President Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto, who are currently on a development tour of Ukambani, appear not keen to cede more ground.
Speaking in Machakos County on Friday, the President said the Opposition was free to continue its weekly protests so long as its supporters do not cause violence or destroy property.
Yesterday, Governor Mbugua said they stormed the rally to prevent Raila from inciting his supporters to conduct violent protests in Nakuru.
“The people of Nakuru are peaceful and Raila is not allowed here to preach hatred and divisions among residents who have lived peacefully and harmoniously since the 2007-08 post-election violence,” said Mbugua.
Ngunjiri warned that those planning protests in Nakuru tomorrow would do so at their own risk.
Raila had met professionals led by Eric Ogada, one of the hopefuls who has expressed interest in contesting for the Nakuru Town West parliamentary seat currently held by Samuel Arama, who has been called a CORD rebel.
Arama, the only elected MP in the county from ODM, was conspicuously absent during the meeting and the subsequent rally at the Kaptembwo grounds.
