CORD principals ‘teargased’ as they attempt to storm IEBC offices.

Police were Monday afternoon forced to use teargas to thwart attempts by Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) leaders to storm IEBC offices at Anniversary Towers in Nairobi.

There was tension at the poll body’s offices hours to the arrival of CORD leader Raila Odinga, co-principals Moses Wetangula and Kalonzo Musyoka for the much-publicised protest march with over 50 police officers deployed to cordon off the offices.

When the CORD leaders arrived at the site in the afternoon, they made attempts to gain access to the IEBC offices to no success with police officers using teargas to disperse them.

The leaders were forced to retreat to their vehicles and drive off hurriedly.

Early morning, Nairobi Police Commander Japheth Koome had warned CORD against causing chaos during their march to IEBC offices saying any unruly behaviour would be met by the full force of the law.

Koome noted that enough police officers had been deployed at the offices to ensure law and order is adhered to even as CORD’s supporters exercise their right to picket.

“Even though the Constitution allows picketing, law and order should be followed at all times. We have enough police officers present to deal with anyone out to cause chaos,” he said.

“Storming public offices is tantamount to sabotaging the economy. Our role, as a security agency, is to ensure that there is no chaos during the march.”

Despite the warnings by the police commander, CORD brigade vowed to continue with their protests holding several meetings to strategize how best to execute their plan.

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The opposition coalition is using the protests in a move to force for the disbandment of IEBC which they have termed as incompetent and incapable of handling the 2017 elections in a free and fair manner.

The leaders have stated that the electoral agency has been compromised by Jubilee in a bid to ensure they win the next elections.

In a statement on Monday, CORD leader Raila Odinga said that as constituted, the current IEBC in a receipt for a “last-minute dash that paves the way for monumental corruption and, eventually, national grand failure.”’

CORD’s calls for the disbandment of IEBC were amplified last month after the commission declared that the Opposition did not achieve the required signatures to proceed with the Okoa Kenya referendum drive.

The commission noted that out of the 1.6 million signatures submitted by CORD, only 891,000 were valid falling short of the required 1 million signatures.

Deputy President William Ruto had on Sunday warned CORD leaders against interfering with IEBC saying their battle should be against Jubilee and not the electoral body.

He stated that even without IEBC, Jubilee will defeat CORD when they face off in the 2017 polls.

 Source: Citizentv News.