- Addressing the press on Wednesday, Nyong'o said it is not an easy balance.
- He said his first statement was necessitated by what happened on Monday.
Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong'o was on Thursday forced to lift a ban on demonstrations in the city as pressure from Azimio supporters and its top leadership piled up.
Nyong'o had earlier Wednesday announced a suspension of the peaceful protests in Kisumu saying hooligans had infiltrated the demonstrations destroying property and harassing innocent members of the public.
He asked demonstrators from the city to travel and join Azimio supporters to protest in Nairobi.
But in a hasty retreat, Nyong'o convened a press conference at City Hall where he made a u-turn asking Kisumu residents to come out and participate in demonstrations slated for Thursday.
Asked why he issued his earlier statement banning the protests, the governor said it was necessitated by what Kisumu witnessed on Monday.
"It was painful what happened in Kisumu City on Monday. It is not an easy balance," he said.
Nyong'o was accompanied by a host of leaders from the county, including his deputy Dr Mathews Owili, speaker Elisha Oraro, and Market Milimani ward MCA Seth Ochieng amongst others.
He told journalists that he had been forced to recant his earlier statement based on a lot of consultations with his leaders.
"We believe in the rights of people to peacefully assemble, petition and demonstrate against the government," he said.
"These expressive and speech rights are enshrined in our Constitution. We in Azimio fought for these basic freedoms," he said.
He said he was encouraged by the resolve of the people to continue with the demonstrations.
"We have therefore been urged by our people to continue with the peaceful demonstrations tomorrow and we shall do so," he said.
Nyong'o said he was aware that goons have been hired by Azimio opponents to cause chaos and loot property during the protests.
"Our people must not grant the goons and criminals the opportunity to do so," he said.
He urged the local residents to turn up in large numbers to participate in what he termed as the liberation struggle.
He at the same time called on the police to ensure there will be peace and security during the Thursday protests.
The press conference cancelling the indefinite suspension of the demos in the lake side city came following angry reaction by Azimio leader Raila Odinga who rebuked the move while meeting some Bishops in Nairobi.
" Kisumu county government is mad about that directive. I have asked them to announce that there will be demonstrations in Kisumu, like it will happen in the rest of the country," Raila said .