NAIROBI,Kenya,Apr, 3 – President Uhuru Kenyatta has condemned Friday’s incident where a group of rowdy youth in Uasin Gishu county stoned ODM Leader Raila Odinga’s motorcade as well as chopper saying that violence will not be tolerated during this electioneering period.
The president while addressing Kenyans outside AIC Pipeline church in Nairobi, warned that the situation could have been ‘catastrophic’ if the Azimio La umoja Presidential candidate had been injured during the attack.
“There is no need for violence. Going ahead and hitting Baba’s (Raila Odinga’s) helicopter with stones..why are you hitting the helicopter, what has it done to you? If anything happened and the stone harmed Raila, wouldn’t that have been catastrophic for our country? Do we really want these kind of things? Let us ask for votes in a peaceful manner,” said Kenyatta.
Kenyatta meanwhile urged for peace saying that ultimately it was the voters that would decide who would be the country’s next president.
“I urge everyone during this time as we approach the general elections.,let us do our campaigns in peace.No one will leave this country after the elections,all of us will continue living here. Let us do our politics in a peaceful and mature way. Let us not divide one another,”
He further rebuked those engaging in politics of hate and insults saying that he is free to support whomever he wishes to be president without his choice being interpreted as a declaration of ‘war’ between his one time political friends.
“Even back at my home in Gatundu, Ichaweri they have insulted me, at my front door. I just looked at them and told God, I have no problem. Anyone that thinks insults will give them votes will be shocked, just wait and see,” said Kenyatta who further noted that,“To announce my position doesn’t make us enemies, it is my opinion. When I say I support Raila it does not mean I am saying someone else is bad..I know where I want my vote to go…Is that not my right? Have i done something wrong?” posed Kenyatta.
Attack On Odinga’s Chopper
The former Prime Minister had attended the burial of Mzee Jackson Kibor in Soy constituency along a host of other leaders when the incident happened.
Leaders across the political divide condemned the incident calling for tolerance while reiterating that every Kenyan has the right to conduct campaigns in any part of the country.
Odinga had pointed an accusing finger at Uasin Gishu County Governor Jackson Mandago and Soy MP Caleb Kositany.
“I call on the two, and all leaders from the region who believe in our constitution, to come out now, not later, to condemn the incident and promise an end to the bizarre attempts to balkanize the country into ethnic and tribal party zones ahead of August elections,” the Orange Democratic Movement leader said in a statement.
He added, “despite the violence meted on me and my team today, I remain optimistic that Kenya will hold a peaceful, free, and fair election in August.”
Governor Mandago condemned the incident, saying “we will pursue the matter until the perpetrators are all brought to book.”
“We have heavily invested in peacebuilding as a region, we will not allow a few elements to take us back. I urge the security apparatus in the region to act with speed and get to the bottom of the matter,” the Governor said in a Tweet.
On Saturday morning, Deputy President William Ruto apologised to the former Prime Minister, who is also his main rival in the August 9 presidential poll, while committing to a peaceful electioneering period.
“I take this opportunity to apologise to Raila Odinga, for what happened to him yesterday. It was really unfortunate and I hope those who engaged in this incident regret what they did,” the Deputy President said during a press conference on Saturday.
He said UDA will work closely with police, to ensure the suspects are brought to book.
“We will demonstrate our commitment to an election that is peaceful by making sure we take the necessary steps to ensure all our members, all our candidates, and our entire party, engages in this election on the basis of ideas,” he asserted.
MP Kositany on Sunday meanwhile defended himself saying that
“As politicians we should desist from hiring people or ferrying youth to heckle others even at funerals, it is un-African, it is not in the Kalenjin culture. Police know from those who recorded statements, they know those who ferried youth,…but because they want to build a narrative that the associated with William Ruto as they call it are the ones perpetrating violence,’ said Kositany.
Kositany further said that his style of politics has always been,’development orientated and that he has always been preaching peace.
“What happened during Libor’s funeral; was wrong…I even told Raila and Junet sorry and i expressed my gratitude that they were okay and that no one was injured,” said Sudi.
DCI Investigations On incident
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations linked three leaders to Friday’s violence against Azimio la Umoja presidential candidate Raila Odinga, citing preliminary investigations.
Earlier, the National Police Service said 17 suspects had been arrested and were being questioned over the incident that saw Odinga’s chopper stoned, as well as his vehicles.
The suspects, police said were found with cash in Sh50 denomination. Their phones were taken for forensic analysis.
The DCI on Saturday said that after preliminary investigations, it has established that the attack was organized and coordinated by legislators Caleb Kositany, Oscar Sudi and Uasin Gishu County Assembly Speaker David Kiplagat.
The DCI said the attack was executed by incited youth, who in the process damaged Odinga’s helicopter windscreen.
Want to send us a story? Contact Shahidi News Tel: +254115512797 (Mobile & WhatsApp)
