Wiper Leader Condemns Teargas Incident on Former Chief Justice at Central Police Station
Wiper leader and co-principal of Azimio, Kalonzo Musyoka. Has condemned the use of tear gas at the Central Police Station against former Chief Justice Willie Mutunga.
Saturday, Mutunga, along with several lawyers and human rights activists. Visited the police station to facilitate the release of 32 protesters arrested during Friday’s Saba Saba demonstrations.
The ex-CJ was at the station with Senior Counsel John Khaminwa the night before. But their attempts to free the protesters were unsuccessful, prompting them to return the following morning.
Their dispersal with tear gas, according to Kalonzo, was an unprecedented new low for the Kenya Kwanza government.
“Along with Senior Counsel Dr. John Khaminwa and other civil rights activists, he had sought the unconditional release of peaceful protesters arrested for exercising their constitutional rights,” Kalonzo said in a tweet.
This action, which occurred on Friday, 30 years after the return of multipartyism, was a brazen attempt to reverse the hard-won gains enshrined in our 2010 Constitution 13 years ago.
The police action was criticized by activists, attorneys, political figures, and Kenyans in general.
Alinur Mohamed stated, “Willy Mutunga’s only crime was that he went to demand the immediate release of poor Kenyans who cannot afford lawyers, but who have been unlawfully detained since their arrest yesterday during the peaceful Saba Saba maandamano.”
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“The police now believe that anyone who asks them to do the right thing is an Azimio member. Our police officers must ensure that no one uses them to assault their mothers, fathers, and grandparents. They do not know what the future holds for them.”
The activist Boniface Mwangi, who was with Mutunga, described the police action to deny the protesters bond as “petty and vindictive.”
“Each suspect is entitled to a police bond. Why does the “Christian” regime deny police bail to the detained peaceful protesters? Mwangi asked in a tweet.
He refuted media reports that they had gone to the police station to demonstrate, adding that even if that were true, “our Constitution allows the right to demonstrate anywhere.”
“Imagine brutalizing and using tear gas on peaceful citizens at a police station! Congratulations on displaying your true colors, William Ruto, Rigathi Gachagua, and National Police Service. Watoto wa Moi ni Moi. Our Constitution is supreme, and our life duty is to resist dictatorship and impunity!” he exclaimed.
Gitobu Imanyara, a lawyer, also condemned the police, stating that the officers’ actions were unwarranted because entering a police station to facilitate the release of suspects is not a crime.
“The crime was committed by the police officers who used tear gas and violently ejected the suspects from the police compound, a public place.” We will never allow a return to the police state that existed before 2010,” he tweeted.
Wiper Leader Condemns Teargas Incident on Former Chief Justice at Central Police Station
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