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Nip the Riots in the Bud, Urges Minister

The East African Standard (Nairobi)
NEWS
July 9, 2004
Posted to the web July 8, 2004

By Standard Correspondent
Nairobi

The constitutional impasse must be resolved to avoid Kisumu-type chaos spilling over to other parts of the country, an Assistant minister warned yesterday.

Mr Simeon Lesrima, the National Development and Planning Assistant minister, said a way out must be found to give Kenyans a new constitution.

He said the constitutional issue was neither a tribal nor personal matter, and hence the need to find a way forward.

"We fear that Kisumu-type riots may spill over to other towns, and we must calm down our people and find an amicable way out," he said.

Lesrima was speaking at Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu during the Western Kenya Consortium-Exhibition/Trade fair.

The function was also attended by MP Dr Christine Mango.

The minister said police brutality against protesters on Wednesday was uncalled for and unfortunate.

He said such riots were sending a wrong signal to investors, who were likely to shy away from the region.

He said last weekend's rallies should not have been cancelled, adding that the move contravened the right to freedom of speech.

Lesrima called for tolerance to criticism in government to give a chance to democracy.

"We should be prepared to pay for the new democracy because Kenyans have known their rights to freedom of speech and association," he said.

The minister was, however, optimistic that peace would prevail and solution to the realisation of a new constitution found.

 
 

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