NAIROBI, Kenya Oct 13, Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Nelson Havi has defended his ‘cordial meeting’ with the National Assembly Clerk Michael Sialai, in which he was seen having tea on a day he had promised to lead a massive ‘Occupy Parliament’ march.
But instead of the much-publicized march taking place, Havi led a handful of LSK officials and Green Movement Party to meet the clerk.
Images from the meeting show Havi and the officials enjoying a cup of tea, samosas and sausages in what appeared to be cordial talks.
Havi responded to mainstream and social media coverage of the meeting, dismissing the criticism as uncalled for.
The tea meeting drew criticism from as far as Canada, where the self-styled General of the MRM Miguna Miguna tweeted, “This is disgraceful. You issued a notice that Parliament must be dissolved or occupied on October 12, 2020 but you ended up taking tea just like a thirsty cartel surrogate. You played into the hands of IMPUNITY PERPETRATORS. Disgusting!”
Havi fired back, and reminded Miguna of the day he went took him food at the airport at the height of his deportation drama.
“You of all people know that Nelson Havi is a courageous man full of honesty and integrity. How else could you explain why, despite your vitriol, hardheadedness and unreasonableness, I risked harm entering a restricted Airport area to rescue you and bring you food. Grow up!”
Havi’s tea in Parliament has been the subject of ridicule even from Homa Bay Woman Rep Gladys Wanga who tweeted, “OccupyParliament by Tanga Tanga led by NelsonHavi! Let me laugh..teeth are bones.”
To which Havi responded “You are a shame to women of Homa Bay and Kenya. A big shame.”
‘Occupy Parliament’ had been billed as the largest protest march to force the dissolution of Parliament following Chief Justice David Maraga’s advice to President Uhuru Kenyatta.
But the march did not take place as earlier outlined, with a handful of LSK officials and others from the United Green Movement Party were seen marching from the Supreme Court to the National Assembly where only four were allowed in, led by Havi.
And as soon as they left the meeting with the Clerk Michael Sialai, photos of the session went viral, in which they were seen having tea. “Today was a historical day,” Havi declared after the meeting, “The majority view of Kenyans is that Parliament has failed,” he said.
There was heavy security presence around Parliament, with anti-riot police, others on horse-back, who were prepared to disperse a huge gathering, due to the publicity the intended march received in the recent weeks.“The clerk of the National Assembly has indicated to us they have forwarded this matter to court and for that reason, they will abide with the outcome of the court,” Havi told journalists after the meeting.
Havi had earlier indicated that at 2.30pm Monday, legislators from the Senate and National Assembly will cease to become representatives of the people because they have failed to enact the two-thirds gender rule, a requirement of the 2010 Constitution.
Legislators have dismissed LSK’s move as “attention-seeking” and vowed that “we are not going anywhere.”
A High Court in Nairobi has since issued a restraining order to the President, until a petition by two Kenyans opposing Parliament’s dissolution is heard and determined.
Even with ongoing litigation over the dispute, Havi “Kenya is a country governed by the rule of law. An article of the Constitution cannot be challenged.”
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