[DEBATE] : Re: (Fwd) Nairobi people's parliament imprisoned

[Dominic Tweedie]

Just for the record, "Chama cha mwananchi" does not mean "poor people's
party". It literally means party of the person-of-the-nation (citizen). Or
otherwise: National Party.

Of course I am not saying there is anything in the name as such. But you
ought to know.

There is a very critical passage about Jeevanjee Gardens in Ngugi wa
Thiong'o's "Petals of Blood".

Ngugi is giving a public lecture/reading called "Globalisation and African
leadership: reading from the Wizard of the Crow" at the Wits Great Hall, in
Braamfontein, Johannesburg, this coming Thursday, March 15th at 18h30.



56 MEMBERS OF PEOPLE'S PARLIAMENT ARRESTED AND DETAINED ILLEGALLY

Comrades,

56 members of people's parliament were arrested today from the Jeevanjee
Gardens Park in Nairobi. People's Parliament is a people's iniative, and
has been meeting everyday at the park for the past 15 years to discuss
social issues.

According to Koigi wa Wamwere, a member of Parliament in Kenya who is in
solidarity with the People's Parliament, the government of Kenya has the
intention of permanently closing down people's parliament owing to its
allegiance to the Chama cha mwananchi, (poor people's party), a newly
registered party.

While many members of people's parliament identify with the plight of
the poor,( they themselves are poor), they are well within their
constitutional right to meet   and discuss whatever issue they wish. The
Kenyan constitution guarantees freedom of assembly, expression,
conscience, and belief.

The repressive laws banning "unlawful assemblies" have all been repealed
so the goverment is detaining the members under the pretext of breaking
Nairobi city by-laws. Jeevanjee Gardens is NOT a state property, nor is
it the property of the city of Nairobi. Jeevanjee Gardens is the only
park in the city that is directly owned by the people, having been
donated to the poor people of Nairobi as a resting area (the park was
private property and it is held in trust for the people of Nairobi) City
by-laws, do not, therefore, apply to the Park, which is the private
property of the people.

More importantly, the government of Kenya has lately developed
intolerance to people's initiatives and we believe that repression of
people's parliament and the illegal arrests and detention of social
activists is a calculated move to harrass, terrorize, demoralize and
otherwise disenfranchise the masses.

As usual, such attempts to defeat the aspirations of the people will be
met with resistance, and with equal force if need be. We do, however,
require your solidarity and support during these difficult times.

We call on all those who support justice for all, the right to assemble,
right to due process, freedom  of expression and basic human rights for
all, including the poor people of Kenya to rise in solidarity and help
us fight the emerging monster that the Kenyan government is becoming.

We urgently need people to do the following:

1. Contact the Kenyan Embassy in your country and demand for the
immediate release of all members of Bunge la Mwananchi(People's
Parliament) who were arrested at the Jeevanjee Gardens today 10th,March
2007, 32 of whom are currently still being illegally detained at the
Central Police Station in Nairobi

2. Demand the arrest of the City Council officers who were responsible
for beating and injuring 5 members of People's Parliament.

3. Demand that the government of Kenya stops, with immediate effect, the
concerted effort to harrass members of People's Parliament.

4. Contact your own government and demand that your government stops
supporting the Kenyan government. Your taxes should not be used to aid
in the harrassment of poor Kenyans by a government that is so afraid to
lose the election that it no longer tolerates discussions amongst the
citizens!

5. Send faxes and email in solidarity to the following offices:

HON. Mwai Kibaki, The president of Kenya
Email:  president at statehousekenya.go.ke

HON. MUSIKARI KOMBO, Minister, Local government
TEl:+ 254 20 217475
FAX: +254 20 337 960
(Responsible for the City Council officers)

BRIGADIER HUSSEIN ALI, Commissioner of Police
Tel: +254 20 341411

The Nation Media Group (local media)
Fax: +254 20 213 946


The Standard Group(local media)
+254 20 213108
Email: editorial at eastandard.net

We thank you all for your constinued support! Aluta Continua!

For and on Behalf of People's Parliament:

WANGUI MBATIA:      (+254 722 74 75 75), + 254 20 204 0192
                    tfosa at swiftkenya.com
                    P. O. Box 22708-00100
                    NAIROBI, KENYA
HASSAN INDUSA       (+254 723 489 463),
WAMBUGU MWAI        (+254 733 248 301)
TERRENCE NJOROGE    (+254 727 881 926)

Cell:

      +254 733 248 301
      +254

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