The National Police Service has canceled two permits it had earlier issued for planned meetings in Mumias which were viewed as a counter move to the highly-anticipated BBI forum set to be held at the Bukhungu Stadium in Kakamega scheduled for Saturday, January 18.
In the statements seen by Kenyans.co.ke on Wednesday, January 15, the police nullified the events citing security reasons.
It was reported that one of the events was called for by ANC leader Moses Wetangula at the Nabongo Stadium and the other, a peaceful demonstration by Mumias sugarcane farmers at the Mumias complex.
The police asked the leaders of the forums to adhere to the directive and inform their supporters of the cancelation, with a failure to do so attracting criminal charges.
"This is to notify you that this office has canceled your permit to carry out the above exercise purportedly scheduled to take place on January 18, at Nabongo Sports Ground starting 9 a.m. due to security reasons," the statement reads in part.
"You are adviced to inform your participants of the changes and adhere accordingly. By this letter, be informed that any person contravening this directive will be held criminally responsible," it adds.
Earlier on Wednesday, January 15, Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) secretary-general Francis Atwoli in the company of Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala had led a delegation of leaders to survey the Bukhungu Stadium.
And when quizzed by reporters pertaining to the parallel anti-BBI meeting, Atwoli issued a stern warning to the leaders organising the event as well as members of the public who considered attending.
Atwoli recounted a similar scenario on December 31, 2016, but insisted Kenyans from the region would not attend the demonstrations.
He warned against gracing the Mumias events, stating that they would not allow and that he had a plan to stop members of the public from attending.
"In 2016 when we were anointing Mudavadi to lead the Mulembe nation there was a similar story, and nobody left his house in Mumias. But this time it will be worse. Don't you dare go to Mumias!" Atwoli warned.
"We have the names of all those people propelling the Mumias story. There is no one who will leave their house in mumias, That I can assure you!
"They will only be allowed to step out the door after our meeting is complete. We have talked to some of their wives, they will sit them down until we are done," he reiterated.
