Junet Mohammed: Today’s maandamano was a rehearsal, the real one is coming
Suna East lawmaker Junet Mohammed has intimated that Monday’s mass action protests called by Azimio leaders were just a rehearsal.
Addressing the press at the Parliament buildings where he was joined by other Azimio la Umoja-aligned politicians, the lawmaker, who is a close confidant of Mr Raila Odinga, warned that the real protest was coming.
Junet also hit out at the move by authorities to bar him from accessing the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).
He observed that that the building was constructed using taxpayers’ money and accused the Police of confusing the venue with a police station.
“I think today was just rehearsal. The real one is coming.”
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Further, the second-term MP condemned the arrest of four political leaders affiliated with the party.
They are Senate minority leader Stewart Madzayo, Unguja MP who doubles up as the National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandati, Ken Chonga, and Amina Mnyazi are in police custody.
“We want the arrested leaders to be released unconditionally. The government should release those leaders in under two hours. Failure to which there will be more chaos,” he said.
Junet also complained about the abuse and misuse of police officers explaining that there were protests in different parts of the world but Kenya’s was the most violent saying it was perpetuated by the police.
“This culture must come to an end so that next mandamanos 2027, 2032, 2055 we have peaceful demonstrations in Kenya. That is why the constitution under Article 37 has allowed Kenyans to demonstrate. The police are allowed to provide security,” he added.
While protesters have engaged in fights with police officers in different parts of the city as well as other counties, Azimio party leader, Raila Odinga, and his deputy Martha Karua are still missing in action.
Mr Odinga had earlier urged his supporters to convene at Nairobi’s CBD so that they could march to State House.
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