NASA to hold parallel Mashujaa Day fete for election protest victims

NASA supporters take part in a Nairobi protest calling for the sacking of election board officials involved in August's cancelled presidential vote, October 9, 2017. /REUTERS
NASA supporters take part in a Nairobi protest calling for the sacking of election board officials involved in August's cancelled presidential vote, October 9, 2017. /REUTERS

NASA will honour Kenyans killed by police in the course of anti-IEBC demonstrations on Mashujaa Day.

Leader Raila Odinga said the killings and those that occurred

immediately after the August 8 poll appear "premeditated and carefully planned" to force their supporters into accepting a stolen election.

He accused IG David Boinnet and acting Interior CS Fred Matiang'i for scheming to subdue those agitating for free, fair and credible elections.

"(They) are facilitating gangs on drugs and security officers fed with divisive propaganda and ethnic bigotry to execute a murderous expedition against unarmed and innocent civilians," Raila said in a statement on Tuesday.

The Opposition and its supporters to push for reforms at the IEBC, including the ejection of CEO Ezra Chiloba and ten other officials.

Raila has pulled out of the October 26 repeat election saying the irreducible minimums must be met first before he agrees to be on the ballot.

"In honour of the innocent victims of the State, our protests will stay suspended. On Friday, we will mark the memory of these victims as heroes of the struggle for electoral justice at a venue to be disclosed later," Raila said.

He said the coalition will communicate its next course of action during the event.

Raila's remarks came just a day after a form four student at Vihiga High School was reportedly shot dead by police in Kisumu on Monday.

The 18 year-old was shot as he bought ice cream from a vendor, bringing to four the number of those killed so far during the protests in Nyanza.

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On Friday, three people were shot dead by police in Bondo, Siaya County, during another round of anti-IEBC demonstrations.

Raila has asked the government to immediately stop deploying security agents in NASA zones for what he said was intentionally aimed at

intimidating their supporters.

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He said they are exploring means of holding Boinnet, Matiang'i and the officers involved in the "reckless deployment of troops" personally responsible for the loss of lives.

"We continue to appeal to all human rights organisations to stand with the people of Kenya against a murderous regime and press the Jubilee government to respect the constitution and stop the murders," Raila said.

Human rights organisations have equally condemened the use of exessive force by security agencies on protesters.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch on Monday released a report implicating police for the deaths of at least 33 people since August 11.

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