SAKAJA BANS AZIMIO DEMOS IN NAIROBI

Nairobi Governor Sajaka Johnson at a church service at St. Joseph Mukasa, Kahawa West on March 12, 2023.

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has rebutted his Kisumu counterpart Anyang’ Nyong’o over his plans to ‘export’ demonstrators to the capital on Thursday.

In a statement on Wednesday, Sakaja said Nairobi has already borne the brunt of Azimio’s mass protests the past two Mondays and is not prepared for another round of demonstrations going forward.

“The Governor of Kisumu’s idea that he can export his demonstrations to Nairobi and make our county the capital of demonstrations and associated mayhem is preposterous and totally unacceptable,” he said.

“In the spirit of devolution, I would advice the Governor of Kisumu, Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o to keep his demonstrations to his county.”

Sakaja said going forward, further protests and demonstrations shall similarly not take part in any part of Nairobi.

“It has been decided that further protests and demonstrations shall similarly no longer take place in any part of the city,” he said.

This is even as the law does not grant governors powers to ban demonstrations. The mandate is solely bestowed on the police.

Nyong’o on Wednesday said the planned Azimio demonstrations scheduled for Thursday have been indefinitely suspended to allow residents to travel to Nairobi.

He said the decision was arrived at after detailed consultations with the Azimio national leadership and the Kisumu County Executive Committee.

“All public demonstrations within Kisumu County have from today been suspended indefinitely so that we can join demonstrations in Nairobi,” Nyong’o said.

But Sakaja said Nairobians have patiently put up with the protests and used their taxes to pay for the aftermath.

By the star