Elders to issue statement over continued police brutality targeting Luo community

Protesters demonstrate along Kakamega road over electoral reforms on October 16,2017 as they march to county IEBC offices.The demo was led by Kisumu governor Anyang' Nyong'o and his deputy Mathews Owilli. (Photo: Denish Ochieng/ Standard)

NASA has hired lawyers as it prepares to sue police officers who reportedly attacked four MPs during anti-IEBC demos.

The advocates are Edwin Sifuna and Nelson Havi.

Opposition MPs also accused the Government of ethnic cleansing following the shooting of demonstrators in Kisumu.

Led by Mathare MP Anthony Oluoch, the leaders said they were collecting information on brutality targeting the Luo community with a view to filing a case at the ICC.

“The leadership of the Luo community will hold a major rally to announce the way forward in light of ethnic cleansing by this government. It could be hours or just days,” said Oluoch.

He also called on NASA supporters to turn out in large numbers for today’s rally at Kamukunji grounds in Kibra before presenting a petition to IEBC.

The MPs, who spoke at a Nairobi hotel, also lauded the High Court ruling lifting Acting Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i’s ban on demonstrations.

They also praised orders blocking the arrest of NASA Chief Executive Norman Magaya.

Illegal and unconstitutional

“We welcome the decision lifting Matiangi’s illegal and unconstitutional move purporting to ban demonstration," said Oluoch, who was flanked by Magaya, Saboti MP Caleb Hamisi, and Nominated Senator Beatrice Kwamboka. The MPs accused President Uhuru Kenyatta of targeting Luos.

“There have been attempts to use excessive force against Opposition protesters and leaders with the aim of maiming and killing them. We are only agitating for our rights as enshrined in the Constitution,” Oluoch said.

Magaya, who has been in hiding since Matiang'i ordered his arrest, said: “We are witnessing dictatorship. We cannot deny the public civil liberty. We have a political crisis which cannot be resolved through guns."