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Panic As Police Break Up Odm Prayer Meeting

The East African Standard (Nairobi)
NEWS
November 19, 2006
Posted to the web November 20, 2006

By Biketi Kikechi, Amos Kareithi And Allan Kisia
Nairobi
ODM-Kenya leaders, led by Lang'ata MP Mr Raila Odinga, were momentarily buried
under plumes of stinging teargas fumes after police violently dispersed them on
their way to a prayer meeting.
A defiant Pastor Mike Brawan and Lang'ata MP Mr Raila Odinga arrive at
Nairobi's Kamukunji Grounds, venue of planned prayers by ODM-Kenya leaders.
This was the price the politicians had to pay for attempting to defy a police
order outlawing the meeting at the historic Kamukunji Grounds in Nairobi on
Sunday.
The police action came just hours after Internal Security minister, Mr John
Michuki, warned that the Government would clamp down on politicians who incited
the public to violence.
Meeting called to pray for the country
Armed riot police lobbed teargas canisters at the politicians - who attempted
to get to the grounds - and beat up some of the people in the vicinity.
Vanquished, the politicians retreated to a Nairobi hotel, where they roundly
condemned the police action as a failure by the State to protect the freedom of
worship, which every Kenyan citizen is entitled to.
But even as police battled the ODM-Kenya leadership in Nairobi, politicians
allied to Narc-Kenya, associated with President Kibaki, converged at Tigoni,
some 35 kilometres North East of Nairobi to campaign for the Head of State.
The ODM-Kenya and Central Kenya Initiative (CKI) prayer meeting was called to
pray for the country. Mr Tony Gachoka, the convenor, said the meeting hoped to
bring youth from Central Kenya to work together with their counterparts from
the rest country.
'Selective campaign to silence the Opposition'
An elderly man clad in a shuka takes to his heels as a teargas canister
explodes behind him.
Notably absent at the grounds was former Attorney-General, Mr Charles Njonjo,
who has publicly supported the initiative and had earlier indicated he would
attend.
The Nairobi Provincial Police Officer, Mr King'ori Mwangi, defended the action
by his officers saying it was carried out in accordance with a ban on all
political rallies in Nairobi that was issued last week.
"We even banned (former Mungiki leader) Ndura Waruinge's rally in Kibera and
that is why we outlawed ODM-Kenya's rally," said King'ori.
But ODM-Kenya's presidential hopefuls, Mr William Ruto, Mr Kalonzo Musyoka, Mr
Musalia Mudavadi and Raila accused the Government of returning Kenya to the
dark days of dictatorship and embarking on a selective campaign to silence the
Opposition.
Riot police lobbed teargas
On Sunday, scenes reminiscent of those that had become so synonymous with
Kamukunji in the fight for multi-party democracy in the early 1990s returned to
haunt Nairobi as riot police lobbed teargas canisters at Raila, who was
accompanied by a retinue of ODM-Kenya leaders and their CKI counterparts.
Narok North MP Mr William Ole Ntimama was struck on the thigh by a canister
before it exploded, covering him in a cloud of smoke.
Supporters and aides shield Raila, Narok North MP Mr William ole Ntimama and
other leaders from being hit by teargas canisters lobbed by officers.
But a defiant Raila said the fact that they managed to reach Kamukunji should
be a clear warning to the Government that it was attempting to stop the
inevitable.
"We condemn this act in the strongest terms possible because we told the police
that we just wanted to pray in peace," said Raila.
MPs Peter Odoyo (Nyakach), Mr Reuben Ndolo (Makadara), Mr William Omondi
(Kasarani) accompanied Raila. Gachoka and Pastor Mike Brawan, an unsuccessful
contestant for the Nakuru Town parliamentary seat in the July by-elections,
were also caught up in the melee.
Police ordered to disperse gathering
Also caught up in the skirmishes were former Butere MP, Mr Martin Shikuku, and
former Thika Mayor, Ms Mumbi Ngaru.
The MPs and religious leaders had gathered at Kamukunji bridge after officers
blocked their way using a large truck.
But all hell broke loose when Pastor Mugambi Muku, from the National Christian
Youth Network, decided to lead the leaders in prayer on the road. He burst into
prayer as the others bowed in silence.
Watching proceedings from a distance, King'ori ordered police to disperse the
gathering. Police then lobbed teargas canisters and charged at the small
gathering with batons.
Teargas fumes engulf vehicles carrying ODM-Kenya leaders and their supporters
In scenes reminiscent of a Hollywood blockbuster, Raila's guards quickly formed
a cordon around him before shoving him into a Toyota VX with Tanzanian
registration numbers. The car then sped off, cutting through the Kamukunji
grounds into Shauri Moyo estate because police had by then blocked the other
end of the Majengo-Kamukunji road using another truck and effectively
entrapping them.
Skirmishes lasted about an hour
The other leaders were herded into their vehicles before they sped off with the
police hot in pursuit.
The skirmishes lasted about an hour as police battled the rowdy youths with
teargas and rubber bullets.
The Raila convoy drove out of Eastlands at break-neck speed towards the Nyayo
National Stadium roundabout. Angry youth from the Majengo slums that had
gathered at the grounds then pelted the officers with stones.
To escape the mayhem, Raila and the fleeing leaders appeared to have outwitted
King'ori and his men, who had also blocked Jogoo Road near the City Stadium and
the First Avenue Road linking Eastleigh to Jogoo road.
King'ori, using his pocket radio to command the operation, drove off in high
speed with a blaring siren towards Eastleigh after learning the group had
assembled there.
Officers stationed themselves outside hotel
Unaware of the chaos, Westlands MP, Mr Fred Gumo and Kanu vice chairman, Mr
Chris Okemo, and some youths travelling in Gumo's Nissan pick-up were on their
way to the venue when police in two Land Cruiser pick-ups blocked their way.
They arrested some of the youth accompanying the politicians, but later
released them.
Trouble had started at around 10am when a heavily armed contingent of policemen
in two lorries stationed itself outside The Hood, a hotel in Hurlingham, where
the leaders had assembled.
The truncheon-wielding police officers stood at the hotel's entrance monitoring
the politicians' every move.
When Raila left the restaurant in a convoy, the police officers jumped into
their lorries and gave chase.
In a cat-and-mouse game, the leaders eluded the police several times, bypassing
several roadblocks before heading to Eastlands.


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