Grassroots social movement 'The Peoples Parliament' 'Bunge La Mwananchi' have been organising in slum communities and over bread-and-butter issues for 15 years. Theyve been meeting daily in the Jevangee Gardens Park, Nairobi. Yesterday, Police declared their forum an 'unlawful assembly' and arrested 56 participants and injured 5.
Please take a minute to read the short account below from Wangui Mbatia,
a leading activist from the grassroots social movement Bungle la
Mwananchi in Kenya. 56 Bunge members were attacked and arrested by
Nairobi police yesterday (Sunday) as they went about their daily
business of holding an open forum in Jevangee Gardens.
Bunge have been active for the past 15 years. It provides an open forum
for the poor and unemployed to dicuss and plan actions for social change
in Kenya. It is a non-heirarchical movement organising for alternatives
to the current situation in Kenya. It is part of the constiutional
reform process in Kenya and has run campaigns on land, water and
employment rights as well as the price of fuel, sugar and Unga (maize
flour) following massive price hikes 3 years ago. Bunge has approx. 7000
'official' members (many more particpants and supporters) and convenes
in Nairobi, Kisumu, Mombassa, Eldoret and Kibwezi
Peoples Parliament organised a parallel forum in Nairobi during the
World Social Forum. Theirs was held in jevangee Gardens and was free of
charge. Some 4000 attended over 4 days. Bunge is currently organising in
Mathare and Kibera peoples settlements, building networks with womens
organisations and the 600 community groups in Mathare alone. Mathare is
Kenya's oldest slum - Kibera is Africa's largest.
Below is a report from Wangui on the arbitrary arrests. Please
call/fax/email your local Kenyan Embassy - addresses for UK, USA, Italy
and Netherlands at end of email.
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@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@eastandard.net
We thank you all for your continued support! Aluta Continua!
For and on Behalf of People's Parliament:
WANGUI MBATIA: (+254 722 74 75 75), + 254 20 204 0192
tfosa@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)
KENYAN EMBASSY UK
Kenyan High Commission
45 Portland Place, London W1N 4AS
TEL: 020 7636 2371/5 FAX: 020 7323 6717
KENYAN EMBASSY USA
public.diplomacy@kenyaembassy.com
NewyorkConsulate@KenyaEmbassy.com
Losangeles@KenyaEmbassy.com
Hoc@KenyaEmbassy.com
Telephone:
(202) 387-6101
Fax:
(202) 462-3829
Mailing Address:
Embassy of the Republic of Kenya
2249 R Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20008 U.S.A.
ITALY
Embassy of the Republic of Kenya,
Via Archimede, 164,
00197, Rome. Italy
Tel.: (+39) 06-8082717/8
Fax: (+39) 06-8082707
info@embassyofkenya.it
Netherlands
Embassy of Kenya in the Hague, Netherlands
21 Nieuwe Parklaan
2597 LA The Hague
The Netherlands
City: the Hague
Phone: (+31)70- 3504215
kenya-net@iwwn.com.na
a leading activist from the grassroots social movement Bungle la
Mwananchi in Kenya. 56 Bunge members were attacked and arrested by
Nairobi police yesterday (Sunday) as they went about their daily
business of holding an open forum in Jevangee Gardens.
Bunge have been active for the past 15 years. It provides an open forum
for the poor and unemployed to dicuss and plan actions for social change
in Kenya. It is a non-heirarchical movement organising for alternatives
to the current situation in Kenya. It is part of the constiutional
reform process in Kenya and has run campaigns on land, water and
employment rights as well as the price of fuel, sugar and Unga (maize
flour) following massive price hikes 3 years ago. Bunge has approx. 7000
'official' members (many more particpants and supporters) and convenes
in Nairobi, Kisumu, Mombassa, Eldoret and Kibwezi
Peoples Parliament organised a parallel forum in Nairobi during the
World Social Forum. Theirs was held in jevangee Gardens and was free of
charge. Some 4000 attended over 4 days. Bunge is currently organising in
Mathare and Kibera peoples settlements, building networks with womens
organisations and the 600 community groups in Mathare alone. Mathare is
Kenya's oldest slum - Kibera is Africa's largest.
Below is a report from Wangui on the arbitrary arrests. Please
call/fax/email your local Kenyan Embassy - addresses for UK, USA, Italy
and Netherlands at end of email.
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@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@eastandard.net We thank you all for your continued support! Aluta Continua!
For and on Behalf of People's Parliament:
WANGUI MBATIA: (+254 722 74 75 75), + 254 20 204 0192
tfosa@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)
KENYAN EMBASSY UK
Kenyan High Commission
45 Portland Place, London W1N 4AS
TEL: 020 7636 2371/5 FAX: 020 7323 6717
KENYAN EMBASSY USA
public.diplomacy@kenyaembassy.com NewyorkConsulate@KenyaEmbassy.com Losangeles@KenyaEmbassy.com Hoc@KenyaEmbassy.com Telephone:
(202) 387-6101
Fax:
(202) 462-3829
Mailing Address:
Embassy of the Republic of Kenya
2249 R Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20008 U.S.A.
ITALY
Embassy of the Republic of Kenya,
Via Archimede, 164,
00197, Rome. Italy
Tel.: (+39) 06-8082717/8
Fax: (+39) 06-8082707
info@embassyofkenya.it Netherlands
Embassy of Kenya in the Hague, Netherlands
21 Nieuwe Parklaan
2597 LA The Hague
The Netherlands
City: the Hague
Phone: (+31)70- 3504215
kenya-net@iwwn.com.na 
