Former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka has condemned the use of teargas and force against citizens and political leaders who were peacefully exercising their constitutional right to assemble in Nairobi.
In a statement yesterday, Kalonzo said the group had visited the office of the Kenya Police Service Inspector General in good faith to demand accountability. After leaving, they were met with canisters of teargas as they sought to walk to Tea Room Nairobi for a peaceful gathering.
“The impunity and shamelessness of this regime now stand fully exposed before the nation,” Kalonzo said. “There was no provocation. There was no violence. Yet once again, the response of the State was force. Innocent Kenyans were left choking, running, and scattering, not because they had broken any law, but because they dared to stand in defence of justice, accountability, and dignity.”
Kalonzo accused the government of attempting to criminalise dissent and normalise fear. He vowed that the group would not retreat, be silenced, or surrender their constitutional freedoms. “The demand for accountability will only grow louder, stronger, and more united. A nation cannot be teargassed into submission. Kenya belongs to her people, not to intimidation, impunity, or repression,” he said.
The former vice president called for justice and the defence of democracy, urging Kenyans to remain steadfast in holding the government accountable.
