•Karua criticised the officers at the office for using excessive force to prevent them from handing over their written petition
•She alleged that one of the reasons the police blocked them was because they feared that Azimio had gathered the truth about the cost of living
Image: ENOS TECHE
Azimio la Umoja coalition on Tuesday outlined the details of the four petitions they had planned to present to various public offices.
Their plans, however, did not materialise, according to Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua who blamed it on the mayhem witnessed across the city.
Karua said the first petition was to be presented to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission showing that the results it announced last August were doctored and they demand an audit of the servers
Karua said they also intended to petition the sacking of the Cherera Four commissioners.
“The sacking presents a dangerous precedence in which all future commissioners will be expected to agree with the chairperson effectively making elections a one-person show,” Karua said.
The coalition also intended to petition the Office of the President with evidence that the cost of food, fuel and electricity remain unacceptability high and they also wanted to petition the Kenya Kwanza administration to desist from what they termed as ‘destroying’ political parties.
“The third office we were to visit was the National Treasury where we wanted to petition for the immediate release of all funds owed to counties and for the timely payment of salaries to all civil servants,” Karua said.
The coalition had also planned to visit the Public Service Commission offices to demand that appointments to public offices be done purely on merit and inclusivity not tribe as is presently the case.
Karua termed it immoral and criminal that in a country of close to 50 communities, appointments are being made going only to members of one community.
“Unfortunately our Members of Parliament who were on their way to the Office of the President to begin the presentations of the petitions were not allowed to access this public office for which we pay with our taxes,” she said.
Karua said they were blocked by a contingent of anti-riot police officers.
She censured the officers for using excessive force to prevent them from handing over their petitions saying that amounted to overthrowing the constitution.
Karua alleged that one of the reasons the police blocked them was because they feared that Azimio had gathered the truth about the cost of living.
"Despite being peaceful and unarmed they (Azimio MPs) were met with teargas and gunshots and other forms of brutality,” Karua said.
“We know why we could not be allowed to present a petition to the OP on the cost of food; there has been an attempt by the regime to mislead the people of Kenya that the cost of unga has come down. The truth is that it has not and we wanted to prove it."
Karua said the Azimio leaders also wanted to let Kenyans know that the new unga brands that they are retailing at slightly lower prices are products of GMO maize.
The coalition announced that it will resume its anti-government protests on Thursday.