NASA Bashes Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i over Curfew in 'NASA Strongholds'

National Super Alliance (NASA) leaders have opposed the dusk-to-dawn curfew imposed on three counties of Lamu, Garissa and Tana River by the newly appointed acting Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i.

The Cabinet Secretary announced the curfew hours after his appointment by President Uhuru Kenyatta following a series of attacks by suspected Al Shabaab militants, with the latest being on Friday at Jima village, Lamu, where nine people were beheaded.

NASA co-principals Raila Odinga, Musalia Mudavadi, Moses Wetang’ula, and Siaya Senator James Orengo argued that imposing a curfew in the three counties wan not a solution to the insecurity situation.

Speaking in Kilifi County during a campaign rally on Sunday, presidential candidate Raila Odinga questioned the decision to impose the curfew, saying that it will negatively impact on voter turnout in the next month’s poll.

“We wonder why Matiang’i rushed to the decision instead of mourning Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery,” Wetang’ula said. “The only solution to the Al-Shabaab attacks and insecurity at large is to withdraw KDF from Somalia so they can fight the enemy from within not outside,” Wetang’ula added.

The leaders further said that the Jubilee administration was using the insecurity situation to make sure that NASA strongholds did not turn out to vote during the August 8 polls like they did in several coastal region parts in the 2013 general elections.

 “In 2013 you did not vote because police were used to create fear and engineered insecurity.” Kalonzo Musyoka said. "This time round, we are warning the police to be neutral. We know there is a plan by Jubilee to introduce insecurity so that you don’t vote again,” he claimed.