National Super Alliance (Nasa) supporters have staged demos in some parts of the country to force out electoral commission officials accused of bungling August 8 presidential election.
In Kisumu, one of Nasa’s perceived strongholds, some residents marched to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission offices on Tuesday morning.
They demanded the resignation of the commission’s top officials, including Chief Executive Officer Ezra Chiloba.
They accused Mr Chiloba and his group of conspiring to interfere with last month’s presidential election that was quashed by the Supreme Court.
The protesters carrying twigs, honking motorbike horns, wailing uncontrollably and carrying banners started on Obote Road, walked to Oginga Odinga Street before heading to Kenyatta Highway and Ang’awa Avenue in the centre of town.
Local IEBC officials in Kisumu were not the target, at least since presidential election results in the county were not a subject of controversy.
The demos were led by local MCAs including Joachim Oketch (Kondele), Seth Kanga (Milimani Market), Jacktone Ogendo (Nyalenda A) and Vincent Arao (Railways).
The demonstrations were mostly peaceful, only punctuated by motorbike riders performing acrobatic skits, a man of two walking shirtless as well as banners with messages written in a dripping font.
Some of the banners read “ Chilona must go”, others read “no reforms no elections” yet another said “IEBC must go.”
Nasa supporters walk to IEBC offices in Kisumu on September 26, 2017. PHOTO | RUSHDIE OUDIA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Plainclothes police officers looked on as businesses went uninterrupted in a town that has borne the brunt of violent protests in the past.
Supermarkets remained open as banks and restaurants served their clients.
Hawkers and open-air markets also went about their businesses uninterrupted.
MOB
In Nairobi, protesters gathered outside IEBC headquarters as early as 10am as they waved placards and shouted “Chiloba Must Go”.
A passing stranger who expressed his displeasure with the demonstration was almost mobbed by a section of the crowd and police had to calm the crowd.
“We are a working nation, we can’t be stopping our livelihoods to come protest. I oppose this demo,” the man was heard saying.
By 12pm, the number of protesters in the city Central Business District had increased to hundreds.
