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LSK, MPs accuse police for role in Nyachae 'ouster'
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- Published on Saturday, 07 July 2007 23:57
"Democracy cannot function, let alone take root, unless and until the police and the civil servants uphold robustly the principle of political neutrality," said Mr. Kuria.Speaking in Kisii District, Kanu MPs Zephania Nyangwara and Jimmy Angwenyi criticised what they called the misuse of the police in politics. The LSK and the two MPs were referring to the continuing political wrangles in Kanu's Kisii branch office, pitting former Finance Minister Simeon Nyachae against businessman Geoffrey Asanyo and KFF secretary-general Sam Nyamweya.
On Monday, a take-over group led by Mr. Asanyo and Mr. Nyamweya moved into the Kanu branch office at 7 am with the help of police. Scores of other policemen surrounded Mr. Nyachae's Kisii home.
Mr. Asanyo yesterday announced he had been given sweeping powers to mobilise support for the party. Speaking during poorly attended Madaraka Day celebrations at Gusii stadium, Mr. Asanyo said his team would soon embark on publicity rallies, starting at Nyaribari Chache.
"We are now the current leaders and we don't fear managing party affairs," he said.There was a confrontation between him and Kisii mayor Claire Omanga who criticised the Monday coup, saying it had dealt a blow to Kisii unity, a remark that annoyed Mr. Asanyo.Mr. Asanyo denied reports that his team was acting on instructions from above to prevent Mr. Nyachae from attending the next Kanu annual delegates' conference. He also said his team moved into the office at 7 am, not 4 am as had been reported, and that they did not break the door of the office.
LSK chairman Mr. Kuria yesterday said it was the duty of the police and the provincial administration to remain neutral in all political contests."Since 1991 the country's democratisation endeavours have been frustrated by the persistent breach of the principle of neutrality," he said.Mr. Nyangwara and Mr. Angwenyi criticised the government for mis-allocating resources in providing security to the Asanyo-Nyamweya group while hundreds of residents in Kisii were suffering from malaria.
The two MPs challenged Kanu headquarters to test the popularity of Mr. Nyachae by calling branch elections, as stipulated by the constitution.
At the same time, Gusii University of Nairobi Students Association defended the embattled MP saying Minister Professor Sam Ongeri, Mr. Asanyo and Mr. Nyamweya were being used to fight him.
The four people arrested on Monday during the take-over bid in Kisii district are still being held at the district's CID offices. A police source said they were under instructions not to release them.
The four were arrested after a vehicle belonging to Mr. Asanyo and another belonging to Councillor Zachary Motari were stoned and their windscreens shattered.
A group of people claimed to have been ferried from Nairobi and Nakuru to help in the Monday take-over of the Kisii Kanu branch leadership were still stranded in Kisii Town. The group claimed they were paid only Sh200; not enough to take them home.
