ODM supportes, now being referred as members of NRM, march in Kawangware. [Photo/ The Star]
The National Resistance Movement (NRM), which Raila Odinga says is a branch of NASA, has shown its intent in unleashing violence on innocent Kenyans. The latest violent act by the group of goons, who support the ODM leader, is the attack of top Citizen TV journalist Francis Gachuri and NTV cameraperson Jane Gatwiri at an event where NASA was giving the way forward after IEBC declared Uhuru Kenyatta validly re-elected as president. The cowardly attack on the professional journalists has been roundly condemned. The reporters at the venue staged a walk-out after it appeared apparent that the goons were working on the orders of senior ODM officials. They have threatened not to cover events involving Raila unless their security is assured. Although Raila only announced the resistance branch of his coalition only days ago, the group has been in existence for long, and its violent actions are well documented. This week, the group attacked Interior Acting Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i when he was monitoring the start of KCPE exams in Kawangware. They stoned his car and badly traumatised the kids who were getting ready to do the national exams. Why subject schoolchildren to such trauma? This militia, which works on the NASA leader’s instructions, appears keen to violently attack anyone who stands in the way of Raila’s interests. The goons have pushed the government to the wall. They want a violent reaction, but police have been very restrained. During the campaigns ahead of the August 8 elections, the goons attacked innocent women who were preaching peace in Kisumu. The same hooligans made it impossible to conduct an election in Kisumu on October 26 by attacking IEBC officials, committing an election offence.
After the October 26 fresh polls, the militia invaded Kawangware area of Nairobi and attacked people who had taken part in the elections by voting. They torched a number of businesses. It is time the government acts on this militia to protect Kenyans.