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Wetang’ula assures US Envoy protests will remain peaceful

National
Grace Githinji
Author: Grace Githinji
2 min.read

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula told outgoing US Acting Ambassador Mark Dillard that Kenya’s June 25 protests would stay peaceful. The envoy had raised concerns about earlier demonstrations and police conduct, especially following blogger Albert Ojwang’s death in custody.

Wetang’ula emphasized that Parliament will address protesters’ demands. “This talk of a memorial for the last disturbances, if it is peaceful demonstrations, it shouldn’t be an issue,” he said. He added, “On the issues they have raised, Parliament is ready to address them. If it degenerates into violence, it is out of my hands and other agencies will handle that, but I hope it will be okay.”

The US envoy welcomed the reassurance. “We are keen on the issue of accountability, making sure the police are held accountable, we expect the commemoration to be non–violent,” Dillard said.

To reinforce oversight, Wetang’ula summoned Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen to testify before Parliament on June 25. Murkomen will explain the government’s response to Ojwang’s death and police conduct during the protests. “I directed that the Interior Cabinet Secretary appear tomorrow to testify on the issue of the teacher and any other matters that members have raised,” Wetang’ula told the envoy.

Wetang’ula praised the police for their service but warned against covering for rogue officers. “Police do a good job in protecting lives and property, in their absence there is chaos. But if there are rotten apples among them, we pluck them out and deal with them as individuals… whenever we identify one, they must be dealt with,” he stressed.

He acknowledged genuine grievances among protesters but noted that criminals might exploit the situation. “The demonstrators may be very genuine, but we have hooligans and criminals who infiltrate, start terrorising traders and looting their property, it becomes criminal activities.”

Wetang’ula said Parliament will draft clear laws to guide peaceful picketing. He proposed a system where parliamentary whips handle petitions and direct protestors. “Without legislation, the whips for the Majority and Minority side go to the picketers, speak to them, collect their petitions  so that it does not become a spectacle and hindrance to members coming in to Parliament.”

Both leaders agreed that peace is vital for Kenya’s stability and growth. “Peace was an active ingredient in providing a firm foundation for economic growth and the stability of a country,” Dillard emphasized.

With less than 24 hours to go, Kenyans await June 25. Parliament’s actions and the police response will define peace or chaos. Wetang’ula’s assurances and Murkomen’s testimony aim to restore confidence. At stake are democratic freedoms and public trust.

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Grace Githinji
Grace Githinji

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