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Police Disperse Demo Over Kadhi's Courts

The East African Standard (Nairobi)
NEWS
March 23, 2004
Posted to the web March 23, 2004
Nairobi
Christian demonstrators protesting the entrenchment of the Kadhi's courts in
the draft constitution were violently dispersed by police in Mombasa yesterday.
Bishop Abarijah Kinnogah who chairs the Mombasa Kenya Church Chapter and scores
of other faithful were arrested.
Some demonstrators were injured as police engaged the faithful in running
street battles.
Police used teargas canisters and beat up the group along Jomo Kenyatta Avenue.
The skirmishes between 12.30pm and 1.30 pm caused a heavy traffic jam.
The Christians, from various churches, had defied police order to abandon the
demonstration that started from the historic Tononoka grounds to the Provincial
Commissioner's office.
They wanted to present a memorandum opposing the Kadhi's courts to the PC.
Mombasa police boss Kariuki Njenga had declared the demonstration illegal,
saying it threatened security in the town.
Njenga had asked five representatives to take the memorandum to the PC's office
or postpone the demonstration until today (Tuesday) for police to make the
necessary security arrangements.
Meanwhile, Evangelical churches in Nakuru yesterday said the Bomas draft
constitution must be subjected to a referendum.
The church faithful who held a procession in the town streets to show their
stand said the speed with which the motions were passed was questionable.
Led by Bishop Mark Kariuki of the Deliverance Church, the clerics said Kenyans
lacked confidence in the draft constitution and wanted to vote for it in a
referendum.
Speaking at the Nakuru Town Narc offices, the church leaders said they were
also concerned by reports that money changed hands at the conference to sway
the voting.
Pastors Daniel Gitau tof Chrisco, Wilson Kamau of Kenya Evangelical Churches,
Stephen Maina of Gospel Outreach and Daniel Ndirangu of International
Pentecostals accompanied Kariuki.

   

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