Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o. [Photo/nation.co.ke]
Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong'o has no powers to purport to ban demos in Kisumu City.
Lawyer Steve Ogolla has said that any matter that touches on security matters belongs to the national government."Governor Nyong'os intentions are good but he has no powers to go round purporting to ban demos in Kisumu. Maybe what he could have said is that he appeals to Kisumu residents not to engage in demos that are destructive in nature," Ogolla told Citizen TV Extra show on Friday.Ogolla noted that Nyong'o was 'punching above his weight' in issuing the directive.Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o on Thursday said if anybody has concerns on whether to conduct demonstrations in the county, they should address them accordingly with the party officials or the county government.He said Kisumu has been a target for criminals, 'who take advantage of the street protests to destroy and loot property'."When we met in Nairobi, we decided that our demos would only be done in Nairobi. Anybody demonstrating in Kisumu county will only demonstrate when the party leader says so," Nyong'o said.On Monday, demos rocked the city in the Kondele area after the Supreme Court verdict that upheld President Uhuru Kenyatta’s repeat election victory. A vehicle was burnt, property destroyed and a Safaricom booster vandalised.