Dear members and friends of Bunge la Mwananchi,

This is an urgent appeal to you following the arrest earlier today of the following Bunge La Mwananchi members ( people) from Jeevanjee Gardens, Nairobi at 1.50 pm:

Julius Mutinda Mativo
David Frank Simidi
Justin Mwau Luka
Jonathan Mukua Mumanyi
Harrison Murira
Robert Kabuthia
Geoffrey M. Matiri
Mcharia J. Kihara
Nicholas Nzuki
Chege Mwangi
Benson Njiraini Wainaina
Vincent Otando
Raymond Okungu
Peter Maina Kamau
Richard Karuri
David Kamau
Anthony Njangiri
Peter Ndung’u
Benard Omondi

At around 1.20 pm 4 armed police with riot gear believed to be from from Central Police Station came to Jeevanjee Gardens. Upon their arrival 3 plainclothes policemen who had been seated undetected under a tree as part of the people in Jeevanjee Gardens, joined them and ordered people around to pair up and walk with them to Central Police Station.

Some of the people arrested were in their own business and have nothing to do with Bunge la Mwaanchi activities. Upto now as I write the arrested have not been informed the reason for their going to the police station and why they are being held in the cells. I was informed of the arrest at 2pm and on arrival the officer on duty in jest asked me if I have brought myself.

By 4pm when I left the Central Police Station to come and write this email they were still being held without any charges having been preferred against them or statement taken from them.

We are trying to establish the reason for their detention and possibly secure their release, without much headway. We expect that they will be produced before court tomorrow if they are not released before close of business today.

In this regard, I appeal to you all to support Bunge la Mwananchi in any way that you are able to.

The following are our suggestion of help we need:

1. We require support in lobbying the police to either charge or release them as soon as poosible. We do not have the OCS central police station cellphone number.

2. In the event that they have to spend the night at the Central police station, they will require food this evening and early tomorrow morning. If you can part with some money so we can buy them supper tonight and breakfast tomorrow morning we will appreciate.

3. Also consider to shoe moral support when they appear before court.

4. When they appear in court we anticipate that we will urgently require to raise cash bail for each of them to secure their release after the court appearance ( we estimate it at Ksh. 10,000/- per person).

You are most welcome to support in any of these and other ways that you are able to.

Earlier today, Bunge La Mwananchi members Helen, Emma, Odhiamb, Gacheke, Odipo, and Gitau who were arrested on May 31st, 2008 for partcipating in peaceful food protest in the capital city, appeared before court. The mention of their case ended at 11.30 am and the hearing date for the case was set for 17th October, 2008.

For Bunge la Mwananchi
George Nyongesa
+254 720 451 235
www.bulamwa.co.ke

– – –
Date: Tue, 9 Sep 2008 06:43:29 -0700 (PDT)
From: George Nyongesa
Subject: Police arrest 20 Bunge la Mwananchi members today!