Siaya Governor James Orengo has issued an ultimatum to President William Ruto to reinstate all security detail that was withdrawn from Azimio leaders after recent antigovernment protests.
Governor Orengo spoke in Bondo Siaya county during an Inter-Denominational Requiem Mass for 12 victims of police brutality at Bondo Stadium on Friday, August 11.
The former Senator said that Azimio governors will hold a meeting prior to next week’s Council of Governors meeting to resolve whether they will attend the meeting that will tinake place in Uasin Gishu.
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”We Azimio governors are the only ones without security…we will propose, we will have a meeting, so that we resolve that we cannot go into a meeting presided by Ruto when he has taken away the security of our leader Raila Amolo Odinga,” Orengo said in his speech.
Orengo further accused the police of using assault weapons, handguns, police snipers and shot people on close range during the Azimio protests.
Police brutality
Moreover, the Senior Counsel said police used water cannons that are militarized which shouldn’t be used against demonstrators.
Concerning the use of excessive force by police and killings, Orengo stated that no police has recorded a statement.
He also proposed to start a ‘Koome must go’ when demonstrations resume to push police boss Japhet Koome out of office saying no one is above the law.
”These petitions sometimes are a political process. They’ll use people they know; they use people they work with. You’ll send a petition; it will be dealt with summarily. To deal with Koome, I have two solutions, when protests resume, there should be a Koome day, Koome must go….” Governor Orengo added.
Azimio held an interdenominational prayer service in Bondo stadium, Siaya County for some of the victims who died during the demonstrations.
Opposition Chief Raila Odinga called out Inspector General Koome for instructing police to use excessive force on protestors in what they termed as ‘shoot to kill’ orders from above.
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Azimio security
The government withdrew security details attached to Raila Odinga, Martha Karua, Kalonzo Musyoka and other opposition MPs and governors.
This is after Raila, and his team organized countrywide demos over the soaring cost of living.
The Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome also confirmed withdrawal of security assigned to opposition leaders who were involved in the anti-government protests.
Already bipartisan talks are underway as participants seek to resolve the political stalemate.
