President Kenyatta cautions against political intolerance

President Uhuru Kenyatta has weighed in on Friday’s attack in Eldoret, where a chopper carrying Azimio La Umoja leader Raila Odinga was stoned, saying that the incident could have set the country on fire.

Kenyatta expressed regret over the attack on Odinga by stone-throwing youth in Uasin Gishu, saying that no Kenyan should be harmed because of their political beliefs.

Addressing a roadside rally after a church service in Pipeline area, Nairobi, Uhuru added that Kenyans should embrace mature politics.

“You saw what happened at my home in Gatundu. They insulted me at my doorstep but I chose to be silent about it,” he added.

This comes after three North Rift leaders were yesterday questioned in connection with Friday’s Odinga’s helicopter.

Three North Rift leaders were yesterday questioned in connection to Friday’s attack on Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga’s helicopter.

Kapsaret Member of Parliament (MP) Oscar Sudi, his Soy counterpart Caleb Kositany and Uasin Gishu County Assembly Speaker David Kiplagat have recorded statements at the Nakuru Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters.

The three spent most of yesterday at the DCI offices in Nakuru, where they were interrogated about their alleged role in the event, which has been described as a threat to the former premier’s life.

“The above incident occurred during the burial ceremony of the late Jackson Kibor, on April 1, 2022, at 5:50pm, in a ceremony attended by among other dignitaries, the Rt Hon Raila Odinga. At the closure of the ceremony, chaos erupted and stones including other projectiles were hurled at the former Prime Minister by incited youth, maliciously damaging his helicopter’s windscreen,” the DCI said in a statement.

The DCI said that preliminary investigations indicate that the chaos was organised and coordinated by the two legislators and the county speaker.

“In view of the foregoing, the two legislators and County Assembly Speaker have pursuant to Section 52 of the National Police Service Act 2011, been summoned to appear in person before the Rift Valley DCI Regional coordinator on April 3, 2022, at 9am, for further investigations into their involvement in the incident,” the agency said.

Sudi denied any role in the incident after the comments were recorded, stating that he could never be involved in the preparation of such a primitive act as the stoning of the former Prime Minister.

“It is unfathomable to even imagine that Oscar Sudi can be involved in planning such a barbaric act of stoning Odinga. I want to tell the members of the public that this is just politics and they should remain peaceful and let the police do their job,” Sudi said.

He added: “My other appeal to the DCI is not to misuse public resources, because we have a police station in Eldoret, Langas, Burnt Forest and even Kapsaret where we could have answered the same questions that they have asked us here in Nakuru. Although they’re doing their job, they should consider such issues.”

Kositany has urged the police to do thorough investigation into the incident and bring to book those who were involved.

He has also castigated President Uhuru Kenyatta for what he called sensationalising the issue, saying the President should rise beyond petty politics and act as a uniting factor.

“I want to tell the President that we all voted for him and he has the mandate to protect all of us, so he should rise from petty politics and be the President that we voted for.

The statement he has made today is unfortunate for those of us who voted for him and we want to tell him that he can do better than that,” he said.

Kositany has also urged the police to treat all the incidents that occur during the elections with the seriousness they acted on Raila’s case.

The three have also left their mobile phones with DCI so that they can undergo forensic audit.