Kisumu Residents are very peaceful hence no need to ban demos,Activist tells Commissioner.

Kisumu City Residents Voice Chairman Audi Ogada addressing a press conference in the recent past.He has said Kisumu County residents are very peaceful hence no need to ban demonstration by the County Commissioner-File Photo.

By Dickson Odhiambo.

August 3,2017.

Kisumu Residents are very peaceful hence no need to ban demos,Activist tells Commissioner.

KISUMU County residents are very peaceful during this electioneering period hence no need to impose ban on any form of demonstrations, a human right activist has said.

Audi Ogada, the chairman of Kisumu City Residents Voice{KICIREVO} says the issue where Kisumu County Commissioner Maalim Mohammed has allegedly banned all forms of demonstration during this electioneering period is unconstitutional and uncalled for.

Addressing the press in Kisumu on Thursday, Ogada said currently the residents of Kisumu County especially  those living within Kisumu City are very much peaceful and wonders why the Kisumu County Commissioner has  taken such a move of imposing a ban on demonstration.

Ogada says peaceful demonstration is a constitutional right hence  can not  be curtailed by anyone.

He says there  is no law requiring Officers Commanding Police Stations{OCSs} to give permit to peaceful demonstration, adding that the law only requires those who want to organize for such demos to notify the police for their intent demos.

Ogada has challenged the Kisumu County Commissioner to cite which section of the law is he referring to while banning the demonstrations in  Kisumu during this electioneering period.

He says the law can not  be suspended before, during and after the elections hence it stands at all time.

“Such like orders are termed illegal hence can not be effected and we want the County Commissioner to cite which section of the law is he referring to while banning demonstrations in Kisumu.

Ogada has sent a passionate appeal to all Kisumu County residents not to carry any act of lawlesness during the electioneering period.

“We want maximum voting by all our people hence this calls for tolerance during this electioneering period,” Ogada adds.

He says already he has been engaging various people from the perceived hot spots while telling  them not to tolerate any kind of lawlessness and not to allow people who are not within such areas to come and cause chaos during this electioneering period.

He says they have held such talks at the Kisumu main Bus Terminus and Kondele to ensure that non come from somewhere to cause chaos in such areas.

He at the same time says Police should now be seen to be working within the confines of the law and not try to be doing what is contrary to the law.

“Let the  County Commissioner allow Kenyans to exercise their democratic rights without being curtailed,” he says.

He urges the County Commissioner to embrace the spirit of dialogue and engage all the stakeholders in matters that will ensure the entire county of Kisumu remain peaceful before, during and after the polls which will be held next week countrywide.

Kisumu County Commissioner Maalim Mohammed has said there will be no illegal demonstration within the county during this electioneering period, adding that goons normally take advantage of any demonstration to loot and destroy property.

The alleged order has since received wider condemnation from various quarters including the Kisumu City Residents Voice Chairman Audi Ogada who has termed it illegal and unconstitutional.

ENDS: