The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has written to President Uhuru Kenyatta over incidents of violence allegedly targeting Deputy President William Ruto’s campaigns.
In a letter copied to the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor yesterday, UDA said they are concerned about the emerging pattern of State-enabled violence.
Through its chairman Johnson Muthama and secretary-general Veronica Maina, the party said the violence is in connection to the Jacaranda chaos over the weekend which was faced with hooliganism after rowdy youths hurled stones at the meeting.
“A gang of rowdy goons chanting “ODM”, “Raila” and “Azimio” slogans violently attacked people who had turned up to listen to Deputy President who was touring the area. Their attempt to disrupt the event failed, but the apprehension, injury and alarm caused to innocent members of the public cannot and must not be overlooked,” read part of the letter.
“It has become abundantly clear that the goons were encouraged and facilitated to prevent the event from taking place in keeping with firm bedroom policy of using violence… This disastrous practice is an official policy in ODM and has been implemented over the years to suppress democratic competition, at horrendous cost to innocent Kenyans,” added the letter.
According to the party, in the handshake era, ODM’s bedroom policy and the use of violence to advance political strategies appear to receive tacit official support
They claim that up to date over 10 major criminal incidents of violent disruption have taken place.
They have accused the police Inspector General of ignoring calls for probe stating that out of those violent disruption, at least six have been brought to the attention of the IG of police but have all gone unattended by his office.
“This negligence on their part Is not only dismaying to all law-abiding Kenyans and disappointing to the UDA fraternity but it also explicitly signals the states approval,” she said.
UDA have demanded an assurance from the president that Kenyan lives and property remain protected under the law.