Businessmen vow to ‘protect’ their businesses ahead of planed NASA protests

(From left) John Njoroge and Wilfred Kamau,chairman of Gema in Nairobi,address a press conference at Sagret Hotel in Nairobi on 25 September 2017.[Edward Kiplimo,Standard].

A confrontation is looming between NASA and Jubilee supporters over Opposition protests to eject electoral commission chiefs accused of bungling the August polls.

On Sunday, NASA leader Raila Odinga called on his supporters to turn out today and physically remove from office the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chief executive, Ezra Chiloba, and other 'tainted' officials if they fail to quit.

Raila said there would be no election on October 26 if IEBC does not meet the demands, including removing officials they say interfered in the last elections.

However, a group that identified itself as Gema Business Community said its members would come out in large numbers to counter Opposition supporters whom they accused of intending to destroy their investments. The group's chairman, Wilfred Kamau, accused the Opposition of using protests as an excuse to cause chaos and destroy the economy.

“We promise as they come to remove Chiloba, we will be there to protect him (Chiloba) as well as the interests of Kenyans. We are tired of NASA's threats and activism. Past demonstrations led to loss of lives and destruction of property. No one is going to remove Chiloba from office," Kamau said.