Decision to bar CORD ‘prayer meeting’ based on false claims- Kalonzo

Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) Co-Principal and Wiper Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka has condemned the decision by the Jubilee Government to bar CORD from holding what he termed as ‘a legitimate prayer meeting’ at Uhuru Park on 1st June 2016.

In a statement, Kalonzo claimed the decision is based on false allegations regarding state security.

“If what the government spokesman has said is anything to go by, then the Jubilee government is working to destabilize the East African Community (EAC) because “Two neighboring states” can only mean East African States. I therefore challenge Jubilee to tell Kenyans and the EAC which neighboring countries and which individuals are working to destabilize Kenya,” said Kalonzo in a statement sent to the media.

Kalonzo noted that East Africans have worked hard at regional integration.

“It is not lost on Kenyans and indeed East Africans that the important Ministry of EAC affairs is now practically a department of the Ministry of Labor, while Uganda for instance, has the Deputy Prime Minister designated as the focal Minister for East African Affairs.  Rather than hiding under cover of State Security, Jubilee should now clearly state that they are not interested in national dialogue to resolve the IEBC crisis. Jubilee must stop using Kenya’s domestic affairs to undermine regional integration and to camouflage its frustrations and inadequacies in regional diplomacy,” read the statement in part.

The Wiper Party leader is currently out of the country in what is reported to be an official mission in Beijing, China.

On Monday, the government barred Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) and Prayer Beyond Boundaries Ministries from holding a meeting at Uhuru Park on June 1, 2016.

Addressing the press on Monday, Police Spokesman Eric Kiraithe said that the decision to bar the two warring parties from using the venue was reached by the National Security Council following intelligence reports showing the meeting could cause security threats.

There had been a weekend-long tussle between CORD and the Church on who holds the right to hold their meeting at Uhuru Park on Madaraka Day.

While CORD insisted it was first to book and get a license to hold a rally at the venue, Nairobi Police Commander Japheth Koome said he had a letter showing the venue had already been booked for a four-day crusade by Prayer Boundaries Ministries.