Kenyans Demonstrate against outgoing MPs, stage mock "State Burial" for them

Activists demonstrate against the MPs in Nairobi

Civil Society Organizations have twice this week of January 15-17, 2013 staged peaceful demonstrations in Kenya's capital Nairobi protesting over recent attempts by outgoing members of the country's parliament to sneak in generous retirement perks as they end their term.

The move, coming barely two months ahead of the next General Elections due on March 4, 2013 is bound to hit the out going legislators hard and a majority are unlikely to get re-elected.

CSOs and other Kenyans have expressed outrage over the move, which President Kibaki has shot down by refusing to assent to the Bill passed in the last session of parliament by the fatigued MPs, who were however still awake enough to think about their personal interests.

During the demonstrations in the capital, the hundreds of members of the activists donning black T-shirts and carrying placards and coffins, expressed outrage that the outgoing MPs could so shamelessly seek to award themselves generous send-off perks when a majority of Kenyans continued to suffer hunger and insecurity stalked the nation ahead of the elections.

The MPs sought to award themselves about Kshs 10 Million (about 110,000 US dollars) as a lump sum send off package besides other benefits which included monthly payments, security and state funeral upon death! Outraged Kenyans have come out fighting and are likely to vote out most of them at the March 4 Elections.

The message is loud and clear

In the first day of the demonstrations, the demonstrators went to parliament after going through several streets, where they tied an effigy of the MPs and "hanged" him at the the gate to the August House. Rev. Timothy Njoya, a re-known democracy and human rights crusader, said a prayer for the effigy before it was "hanged" and before the group presented a petition to President Mwai Kibaki. 

A demonstrator drags one of coffins towards Parliament

In the second day of demonstration on January 16, 2013, the activists paraded over 200 wooden coffins which they used to do a mock "state burial" for the MPs in a ceremony that took them through various streets and eventually set the coffins on fire next to Parliament.

The passage of a new constitution in August 2010 and the ongoing implementation have energized Kenyans to fight bad governance.

The Constitution, hailed as one of the most progressive in the world, has a strong Bill of Rights which has emboldened the citizens, leading to an increasing robust expression of public discontent with government and public officers' excesses.

Those who have ears should hear, those with eyes should see!

Scenes like this are likely to be common place among Kenyans, not only in Nairobi but also in other regional towns given that the anger against the outgoing legislators is wisespread.

Many of them have already come under a lot of pressure from an increasingly enlightened citizenry some of who have taken them to court for misuse of devolved funds.

Organization calls for Peace in Migori County during the Political Party Nominations

A Community Based Organization and other stakeholders in Migori County have appealed for peace and tolerance ahead of the political party nominations due on Thursday 17, 2017.

Migori Civic Local Affairs Network (CLAN) and the Migori County Peace Forum MCPF) have urged all the contestants for various political seats in the coming elections, party leaders, supporters and the general public to conduct themselves with restraint and maintain order and peace during the Thursday 17, party nominations.

Migori CLAN Coordinator who is also the County Peace Forum Chairman Oloo Janak said the March 4, 2013 General Elections will be a defining moment for the entire nation and Migori County. He urged all Kenyans in general and residents of Migori County in particular to turn out in large numbers during the nominations and at the march 4 Elections to help elect leaders who would bring about the desired political, social and economic transformation based on the promise of the new constitution.

One of the banners of the candidates seeking seats in Migori

Migori CLAN has since 2002 been at the forefront of enhancing citizens participation in public affairs and deepening democratic governance to realize accountable and transparent leadership. The organization has since the promulgation of the new constitution led a process of inter-ethnic dialogue and conflict mitigation in this multi - ethnic County, with a measure of success in creating tolerance. 

CLAN was also at the forefront of agitation for a new constitution and campaign for its passage during the 2010 referendum with other players including the residents of the county, which led to a high turn out of voters at the August 10, 2010 Constitutional Referendum.

Janak said CLAN had championed inter-ethnic dialogue and reconciliation after the post election violence of 2007/8 and after the passage of the constitution and therefore desired that all Migori County residents uphold tolerance among the different ethnic groups in the county to usher in a functional and an all inclusive County Government. 

"CLAN, with other organizations and the government, have initiated various peace and reconciliation efforts and led stakeholders in passing resolutions which were tabled at the Bomas National Conference end of last year which we would like to see respected by all candidates and the people during the nominations and the actual elections on March 4, 2013," he said. 

Mrs. Anne Anyanga who was a victim of violence

He urged all candidates and their supporters to resist attempts to saw seeds of discord and hostility among the residents of the county in the run-up to the nominations and to respect all the efforts that ordinary people and grassroot leaders have made towards unity over the last two years. 

Janak decried recent acts of violence including the attack in Rongo on Mrs Anne Omodho Anyanga who is seeking the position of governorship adding that all contestants needed to promote respect and tolerance ahead of the nominations and during the subsequent campaign period and the March 4 Elections.

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"It is only through tolerance, peace dialogue and ethnic harmony that we in Migori County can elect credible, responsive and transformative leaders who will run a truly functional and economically viable Migori County that we can all be proud of," Janak added. 

He called on Migori County residents to only nominate leaders who had in the past demonstrated support and belief in the new constitution as a basis for transforming the country and bringing about equitable distribution resources, development and consultative leadership. 

Those who either actively opposed the constitution or never helped campaign for it, he said, would "undermine the gains inherent in the new constitutional order and should therefore not be elected to any position at all."

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