NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 14 – President Mwai Kibaki has ordered for speedy investigations into Sunday’s twin blasts at the Uhuru Park during the No campaign rally that left six people dead and more than one hundred injured.
After chairing an urgent early morning National Security Committee meeting at State House, the President instructed all relevant security and other government agencies “to move with speed and establish the circumstances that led to the stampede, and subsequent deaths and injuries.”
“The President condemned those behind the crime against innocent Kenyans,” said a statement from the Presidential Press Service.
The meeting was also attended by Vice President Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka and Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
The Head of State appealed for calm from the nation “as the government seeks to get to the bottom of the heinous crime against the Kenyan people.”
During the meeting President Kibaki was briefed on the tragedy at Uhuru Park when a stampede led to several deaths and injuries.
The blasts occurred 15 minutes apart with the first happening at around 6.30pm as the No camp was ending a mega rally that was characterised by bashing of the Proposed Constitution and mobilisation of the NO vote in the August 4 referendum.
Kenyatta National hospital was a beehive of activities on Monday with confirmation that it had treated more than 112 people who were injured during the blast. Twenty one people remained admitted with serious injuries.
President Kibaki sent his condolences to families and friends of those who lost their loved ones and wished those who suffered injuries quick recovery.
In the meantime, Muslim leaders in Mombasa strongly condemned the incident and called for speedy investigations to unravel the perpetrators behind the heinous act.
At a press conference in Mombasa, the Kenya National Muslim Advisory Council (Kenmac) National chairman Sheikh Juma Ngao demanded that the government issues a statement over the incident.
“The incident was a major draw back to the democratic progress we as a country are currently enjoying. It takes us steps backwards into the dark old days,” Sheikh Ngao said.
Sheikh Ngao said that the government ought to move fast and ensure that citizens are free to conduct the referendum campaigns without fear.
“The resultant incident could scare aware Kenyans from exercising their democratic rights to vote for or reject a new constitution come the referendum day if their security is not guaranteed,” Sheikh Ngao said.
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