The Mombasa county commissioner Gilbert Kitiyo has called off all planned rallies in the county on October 20 to pave way for Mashujaa Day celebrations.
Kitiyo, while addressing a press briefing, went on to emphasize that the weekly demonstrations witnessed within Nairobi County were illegal and added that the law does not recognize the protests.
The announcement came hardly a day after civil society and human rights activists’ announcement that Tononoka grounds would be the location of a rally against the Kenya Revenue Authority’s SGR order that demanded all cargo to be transported via the Standard Gauge Railway trains.
“We are inviting everybody including those with SGR grievances, we want to warn that there will be no other meeting apart from the Mashujaa Day gathering. Let them try and they will be dealt with,” warned Katiyo.
Mvita MP Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir who has been at the forefront of the demos, warned the government citing that they wil not stop demonstrating.
“When you have a political system that is full of deceit and one that feels manipulating the emotions of people is nothing this (demonstration) is the result.” Said Mvita MP Shariff Nassir.
The standoff is likely to escalate to dangerous heights as some of the lobby groups have vowed not to stand down until their troubles are catered for.
