Urgent Appeal for quick Action & Update on the 56 Members of People's Parliament arrested on Saturday
So, 11.03.2007, 09:57
Comrades,
THE SITUATION IS MORE GRAVE, THE GREEN JEEVANJEE GARDENS PARK IS NOW BEING REPLACED BY A CONCRETE WALL AND CONCRETE JUNGLE, UNDER THE SUPERVISION AND FUNDING OF UN HABITAT UNDER THE GUISE OF SAFER CITIES INITIATIVE
As we speak, it is becoming clear why the members of people's parliament were roughed up, mercilessly beaten yesterday, arrested and are being illegally detained at Central police station.
As early as 8am this morning, 4 trucks of city council workers were taken to Jeevanjee Gardens where they are putting up a concrete perimeter wall and making arrangements that will see the only public patch of greenery inside the city of Nairobi converted into a concrete jungle, complete with half the park being converted into, of all things, a public bus park!
Jeevanjee Gardens is under attack again; this time by the City Council of Nairobi and UN HABITAT under the guise of the Safer cities Initiatives. People's Parliament is on record opposing the conversion of Jeevanjee Gardens into a public bus park and a concrete park where members of the public will no longer be able to enjoy the green grass and the serenity of the many trees amidst the concrete jungle. Many members of the public, including People's Parliament voiced their opposition in many meetings last year and wrote to UN HABITAT opposing the grabbing of the public space and conversion of the same for purposes other than those that it was intended for when the land was granted to the people of the city of Nairobi by Mr. Jeevanjee.
If the Nairobi City Council and UN HABITAT succeed in tearing the park apart, the city will have lost one of its gems, forever. The park is a resting place for the tired and weary, a playing ground for children especially during the weekend, and an excellent place to unwind or pass a lunch hour for those who cannot afford to buy lunch. For People's Parliament it is a meeting place with a long record of successful social, political and economic action, an irreplaceable platform where ordinary Kenyans from all walks of life, all tribes, all economic and social strata meet and interact. It is where members socialize and revitalize, plan for action and conduct civic education. It is priceless. If it is lost, it will never be regained.
Apparently, the move to arrest members of people's parliament, besides being part of an effort to permanently eliminate the movement, is also calculated to intimidate the members so that they do not resist the designs of the city fathers aimed at grabbing the space.
We now need urgent action to intercede on our behalf and have UN HABITAT and the NCC stopped from ruining the park that has survived for almost 100 years as a welcome patch of green in the middle of the city. It is a shame that UN HABITAT, the agency created to ensure that cities develop without putting residents in jeopardy and the agency we should be calling on for support is the one funding the initiative aimed at destroying the park!
Please, urgently write email and faxes demanding the immediate halting of the wall and at the same time demand that UN HABITAT stop the process that has been going on largely behind the backs of the residents and without their consent. Please demand that any prospective changes be subject to public debates that are more inclusive and about which the public is duly informed and included in. Write all letters to the attention of the following persons who are responsible for the ongoing problems in addition to the others named in the earlier message:
MRS HELEN TAbAIJUKA
UNITED NATIONS HUMAN SETTLEMENT PROGRAMME (UN HABITAT)
Fax: +254 20 762 39 19
Fax: + 254 20 762 43 25
Email: execdir.habitat
unhabitat.org
Tel: + 254 20 762 12 34
and:
MR. JOHN GAKUO, TOWN CLERK
NAIROBI CITY COUNCIL
MINISTRY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT
FAX: +254 20 337 960
TEL: + 254 20 21 74 75
and:
DIRECTOR , URBAN DEVELOPMENT
FAX: +254 20 337 960
TEL: +254 20 340 972
INFORMATION ABOUT THE ARRESTED MEMBERS OF PEOPLE'S PARLIAMENT
It's 11:30AM, approximately 20 hours since the arrest of 56 members of people's parliament from the Jeevanjee Gardens yesterday. The current situation is as follows:
Of the 56 arrested members, 32 members are still in custody. The others have been granted bail. Of concern is the condition of 5 members who were injured during the arrest, especially of one of the members who is said to have been badly injured and unconscious for more than 30 minutes and is still in custody.
Activists are still camped at the police station waiting to see the people in custody. By the time of this email no person has been seen, although there is presently a heavy presence of police both within and outside Jeevanjee Gardens.
Please work as fast as you can. In our experience, the town clerk ordinarily needs only one or two days to do irreversible damage. Action must be taken today if any positive results are to be realized.
We urgently need people to do the following:
1. Contact the Kenyan Embassy in your country and demand for the immediate release of all members of Bunge la Mwananchi(People's Parliament) who were arrested at the Jeevanjee Gardens today 10th,March 2007, 32 of whom are currently still being illegally detained at the Central Police Station in Nairobi
2. Demand the arrest of the City Council officers who were responsible for beating and injuring 5 members of People's Parliament.
3. Demand that the government of Kenya stops, with immediate effect, the concerted effort to harrass members of People's Parliament.
4. Contact your own government and demand that your government stops supporting the Kenyan government. Your taxes should not be used to aid in the harrassment of poor Kenyans by a government that is so afraid to lose the election that it no longer tolerates discussions amongst the citizens!
5. Send faxes and email in solidarity to the following offices:
HON. Mwai Kibaki, The president of Kenya
Email: presidentstatehousekenya.go.ke
HON. MUSIKARI KOMBO, Minister, Local government
TEl:+ 254 20 217475
FAX: +254 20 337 960
(Responsible for the City Council officers)
BRIGADIER HUSSEIN ALI, Commissioner of Police
Tel: +254 20 341411
The Nation Media Group (local media)
Fax: +254 20 213 946
The Standard Group(local media)
+254 20 213108
Email: editorialeastandard.net
We thank you all for your continued support! Aluta Continua!
For and on Behalf of People's Parliament:
WANGUI MBATIA
HASSAN INDUSA
WAMBUGU MWAI
TERRENCE NJOROGE
KENYAN EMBASSY UK
Kenyan High Commission
45 Portland Place, London W1N 4AS
TEL: 020 7636 2371/5 FAX: 020 7323 6717
KENYAN EMBASSY USA
public.diplomacykenyaembassy.com
NewyorkConsulateKenyaEmbassy.com
LosangelesKenyaEmbassy.com
HocKenyaEmbassy.com
Telephone: (202) 387-6101
Fax: (202) 462-3829
Mailing Address:
Embassy of the Republic of Kenya
2249 R Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20008 U.S.A.
ITALY
Embassy of the Republic of Kenya,
Via Archimede, 164,
00197, Rome. Italy
Tel.: (+39) 06-8082717/8
Fax: (+39) 06-8082707
infoembassyofkenya.it
Netherlands
Embassy of Kenya in the Hague, Netherlands
21 Nieuwe Parklaan
2597 LA The Hague
The Netherlands
City: the Hague
Phone: (+31)70- 3504215
kenya-netiwwn.com.na