Former Chief Justice Willie Mutunga has expressed disappointment in the manner which the state has handled gatherings organised by the Deputy President William Ruto.
The retired justice said the deputy president deserves to be treated with dignity. He added that constitutional rights are not a reserve for a few or conditional.
"I believe constitutional rights are for all Kenyans, even those who we believe have violated our rights. The violators of our rights are not our teachers. We must give them the human dignity they have never given us. I defend his constitutional rights," stated Mutunga.
He made the remarks in reference to reports that police had been deployed by the state to disperse a gathering of the Deputy President's supporters in Nyamira County.
Renowned columnist Edward Gathara termed the disruption of the gatherings by police as unconstitutional. Ruto was to preside over a fund raiser for a bodaboda sacco at Kebirigo Primary.
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"It is completely despicable and unconstitutional that William Ruto is being prevented by the state from holding political meetings. However, there is a lesson in it for him: what goes around, comes around. He can't say he was not warned," Gathara wrote on his Twitter.
On Thursday, truckloads of police took over one of the event's venue with officers in uniform bringing down tents where the Deputy President's supporters had converged.
A senior police officer used a public address system meant for the event to ask those who had turned up to leave the venue.
"Just walk out slowly. No one is going to hurt you. Please leave this place," the officer told the locals who had turned up for the event.
Area MPs lead by Vincent Kemosi and Sylvanus Osoro have vowed to proceed with the fundraisers as planned.
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