UDA alleges police frustrating its political activities

 

United Democratic Alliance (UDA), a party linked to Deputy President William Ruto, has alleged a State-sponsored plot to frustrate its political activities across the country.

Officials of the outfit on whose ticket the DP plans to vie for the presidency in next year’s elections alleged a plot by police to thwart its operations, including member recruitment drive, to stifle growth ahead of the polls.

Saw them purged

They claimed that harassment by State agents is a continuation of the onslaught by the ruling Jubilee targeting the DP’s allies, which saw them purged from party and House leadership positions.

“It has emerged that there is a coordinated, premeditated and prearranged strategy by the police to illegally deny UDA any political space,” read a statement by Secretary-General Veronica Maina and chairman Johnson Muthama.

They referred to an incident on Monday when two of the party’s registration officers were arrested in Kakamega during a membership recruitment drive.

The members, Sarah Lumala and Delila Christine Monda, were arrested in Shirere ward, Lulambi constituency, Kakamega County.

“They were detained for five hours at the local chief’s camp before they were transferred to Kakamega Police Station where they were released on cash bail,” the statement said.

Arrested

“While the duo was undertaking the registration exercise, police accompanied by the local chief arrested them. Tellingly, the owners of the ID cards who were present had not complained and instead were chased away by the police,” they said.

Wednesday, UDA said police were yet to charge any of the two individuals “more than 72 hours after they first booked them, clearly going against chapter 49 of the Constitution on the rights of an arrested person.

“On two occasions they have been taken to court, but not charged. Clearly this is harassment and intimidation.

“UDA is dismayed by these unwarranted actions by the police, which clearly is denying the would-be members of UDA their constitutional rights to belong to a political party of their choice,” Ms Maina and Mr Muthama said.

They said the onslaught on UDA by police only seeks to deny the party political space to tilt the scales in favour of their opponents.

“This has been evidenced in Lurambi this week, and comes hot on the heels of disruption of party activities of a women’s meeting organised for the Kiambaa parliamentary seat UDA candidate John Njuguna Wanjiku,” read the statement.

Disrupted meetings

The officials claimed police disrupted meetings by UDA aspirants in Meru and Mombasa. They also cited disruption of campaigns in Bonchari and Kabuchai parliamentary by-elections as well as Rurii and London wards.

“Hon Mwangi Kiunjuri was also teargased in Chogoria, Tharaka Nithi County. Tellingly, the same police escorted the governor of Kiambu James Nyoro as he stormed Mangu tallying centre during Juja by election,” they recounted.

They accused police of “seeing no need to disrupt ODM and ANC recruitment drives.”

“The party condemns these illegal acts by the police and call upon the Inspector General of Police and his officers to adhere to the rule of law and allow Kenyans to enjoy their democratic freedoms,” the statement added.    BY DAILY NATION