Nakuru County Assembly will pass bylaws to govern the conduct of demonstrations even as leaders rally residents against planned weekly demos.
Led by Naivasha East MCA Stanley Karanja Wambui, the leaders noted that Nakuru was a budding city that depended much on businesses to grow, urging the residents to keep off the demonstrations for prosperity.
He regretted that businesses and peoples’ livelihoods were destroyed as a result of the demos and urged the Registrar of Political Parties to redirect political party funds to reimburse those who lost their properties during the Monday demonstrations.
“Let people demonstrate but not here in Nakuru, we have been fighting ignorance since independence and it’s about time we sent people behind bars to go demonstrate in cells.
Governor Susan Kihika, regretted that the demonstrations had compromised efforts by the government to stabilize the economy arguing that destruction of property by rioters was not going to reduce the cost of living.
“We do have a right to picket but not with stones to shutter people’s dreams, we will keep off and not compromise our efforts to grow the economy,” she added.
Nakuru East Deputy County Commissioner Simiyu Were, who also graced the issuing of bursaries to needy students at Nyayo Gardens today, called on parents to send their children to school and not to demonstrations.
“It is unfortunate that some parents have decided to give their children sufurias (used as a symbol of the rising cost of living during demonstrations) instead of books,” regretted the administrator.
The County government, led by Governor Susan Kihika disbursed cheques amounting to Sh177 million to needy students in the county, promising to top up the figure to also cater for Junior Secondary School students.
By Anne Sabuni
