BOMET, KENYA, Jan 10- Remarks by Meru Senator Mithika Linturi have sparked widespread condemnation, with critics accusing the Deputy President William Ruto-led United Democratic Alliance (UDA) of being an accomplice.
Linturi made the remarks, said to be inflammatory by police and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, over the weekend during a mega rally in support of DP Ruto’s presidency in Eldoret.
DP Ruto has been under pressure to condemn the utterances and on Monday, he broke his silence and also issued a firm message to leaders supporting him.
“Going forward, I want to tell members of my Hustler Nation Team, that all of us must mind our language, all of us must be mindful of what we say so that we can unite this country because that is what The Hustler Nation believes in,” the Deputy President said.
He was speaking during a rally in Bomet County, attended by thousands of his supporters on Monday.
The Deputy President however cautioned that Linturi’s remarks should not be over-sensationalized.
“Senator Linturi made a statement, which he regrets. A statement that had inappropriate language and Senator Linturi has unconditionally withdrawn the statement and he has apologized unconditionally to the people of Kenya,” he said.
He said he was committed to uniting the country.
“That is what the hustler national believes in,” he said.
DP Ruto also urged security agencies to apply the law equally on people accused of inciting Kenyans.
“We are a democratic party and we are ready to compete on a platform of issues and not ethnicity,” he said.
Linturi was scheduled to be charged in court on Monday, in Nakuru.
He had earlier been arrested in Eldoret and taken to Nairobi for grilling.
Critics say his remarks have evoked terrible memories of the 2007-2008 post-election violence that left more than 1,000 people dead and 600,000 others internally displaced.
Six Kenyans among them President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy face crime against humanity charges at the International Criminal Court over the killings.
The charges were later dropped and all the accused were set free. The ICC said the case was weakened by extensive interference of witnesses among other things.
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