Raila to lead parallel Mashujaa Day fete
Nasa leader Raila Odinga will on Friday lead parallel Mashujaa Day celebrations at a yet to be disclosed location.
Mr Odinga announced on Tuesday that their parallel celebrations will honour protesters reportedly killed by police in demonstrations to demand for reforms at the electoral commission before the presidential election.
ELECTORAL JUSTICE
“In honour of the innocent victims of the State, our protests will stay suspended. On Friday, we will mark the memory of these victims as heroes of the struggle for electoral justice at a venue to be disclosed later. On that day, we shall communicate our next course of action,” the opposition chief said in a statement.
Mashujaa Day is a national holiday to honour all those who contributed towards the struggle for Kenya’s independence. This year’s celebrations will be held at Uhuru Park, Nairobi.
This will not be the first opposition leaders will hold a parallel national celebrations. Last year, they held a parallel Madaraka Day celebrations at Uhuru Park as President Uhuru Kenyatta led the official celebrations at Afraha Stadium in Nakuru.
Mr Odinga, in his statement, said the coalition will announce their next course of action at their parallel celebrations.
DEATH OF SUPPORTERS
He said they will suspend all demonstrations in the days leading to the holiday following the death of some of its supporters who he claimed were shot by police.
Mr Odinga also pointed an accusing figure at the acting Interior secretary Fred Matinag’i and Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet for “facilitating security officers to execute a murderous expedition against unarmed and innocent civilians”.
Nasa, he said, is demanding the immediate stop of the brutality which he termed as ill-advised and costly for the country.
“The government must stop this alliance between thugs and security officers and the unconstitutional and reckless deployment of troops to annihilate NASA supporters,” he said.
In honour of the innocent victims of the State, our protests will stay suspended. We will mark the memory of these victims on Mashujaa Day. pic.twitter.com/F2Tlp9ghP5
— Raila Odinga (@RailaOdinga) October 17, 2017