Kenya leaders condemn NO Constitution change meeting bomb blast attack
Kenya security looking for clues at the site of sunday's bomb attack. (photo/reuters)
By LUVEI TIMES REPORTER
A SPECIAL team has been formed to track down architects of the Uhuru park blasts that left six people dead and more 100 others hospitalized as the Government asked anyone with crucial information to pass it to security agencies.
Bomb and forensic experts have been ordered to complete investigations within the shortest time possible. The directive followed a flurry of high-level meetings at State House, Treasury Building, Harambee House and Vigilance House, which resolved to set up an elaborate investigative machinery to unravel the incident.
Covert officers had also been dispatched on the ground to gather information about the multiple blasts, which occurred 15 minutes apart as thousands of Christians opposed to the draft constitution prayed at the park.
Government delegation
Senior Government officials visited the scenes littered with blood stains, torn attires and abandoned shoes, among other destroyed valuables. Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, Cabinet ministers George Saitoti (Internal Security), Uhuru Kenya (Finance) and Musalia Mudavadi led the Government delegation to the park where officers were combing for clues.
Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere took the officials around the park, showing them the scenes where the explosions occured. Accompanying them was head of Civil Service Francis Muthaura, National Security Intelligence Service (NSIS) director Major-General Michael Gichangi and Government spokesman Alfred Mutua.
Two exploded bombs were recovered in the morning. Police were trying to establish where the explosives were planted prior to the highly successive Sunday meeting attended by among others Higher Education minister William Ruto, assistant Housing minister Margret Wanjiru and a host of clergy leaders drumming up support for rejection of the draft.
By last evening nobody had been arrested, but there were unconfirmed reports that six people had been interrogated. Police were also planning to summon the convenors of the the NO campaign camp to shed more light on the blasts after it emerged that the gathering stayed past the stipulated time.
Meeting went beyond licensed hours
The meeting was licensed to end at 6 PM. The first blast occurred at around 6.30 PM before the subsequent one 15 minutes later. “We could not have dispersed the faithfuls for overstating because that could have been cast in bad light against us,” said an officer who did not wish to be named.
A national security committee chaired by President Mwai Kibaki at State House resolved to have speedy investigations. Apart form security chiefs, Raila and Kalonzo were in attendance before heading to Uhuru park.
“The President condemned those behind the crime against innocent Kenyans,” said a statement from the Presidential Press Service. The Head of State appealed for calm as the Government sought to get to get to the bottom of the heinous act.
At Treasury Buildings Raila directed the police to undertake quick, comprehensive and thorough investigations in to the Sunday’s triple blasts at a crusade meeting which claimed six lives and left scores injured.
“We are engaging the best investigation brains in this country to look into the matter and bring to book those behind the criminal act , it has been to be as quick as possible,” the premier said.
“We are demanding for quick investigations and those behind the heinous act brought to book. This was a terrorist act which should not be allowed to occur in future,” Raila continued.
Caution against speculations
The Government cautioned against speculation. The PM told the press that a meeting between him Kibaki, Kalonzo, Saitoti, Uhuru and Mudavadi, reviewed the facts already established by the police on the explosions.
He disclosed that police had established important leads but were not ready to share them with the public but promised that the security forces will release details concerning the incident soon. Raila defended police against failure accusations and slipshod investigations assuring the incident will dealt with conclusively.
Many treated for injuries
“As a result of the two explosions and stampede, five people died while undergoing treatment at Kenyatta National Hospital and one at the scene of the incident. One hundred and nine people were treated for injuries, 104 at KNH and 5 in Nairobi hospital,” Raila explained.
Other victims were treated and discharged after sustaining slight injuries. The president he said expressed grave concern at the senseless violence meted against innocent Kenyans. He said the President retaliated the need for all Kenyans to embrace tolerance and accommodation, regardless of their divergent views.
The PM said an appropriate investigative machinery had been put in place to pursue the culprits. “We are also concerned that the meeting went beyond 6pm to 6.45pm against the conditions of the permit. The attackers could have taken the advantage of the timing to unleash their weapons,” he added.
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