A section of women leaders drawn from the Mt Kenya region are now calling on authorities to take decisive action against hate speech perpetrators ahead of August general elections.
The group comprising of women from Jubilee Party, KANU, Chama Cha Kazi, Democratic Party, PNU and Narc Kenya said that hate speech by politicians have the potential to cause ethnic clashes.
“NCIC, DCI as well as Judiciary should do prompt investigations and prosecution of offenders now and going forward. We urge our politicians from all political shades to cease and desist from use of language that incite our communities,” Nyeri County Deputy Governor Caroline Karugu said.
Condemning remarks made by Meru Senator Mithika Linturi during a political rally in Eldoret, the leaders lamented that divisive slogans like ‘madoadoa’ have in the past caused the deaths of many Kenyans and can therefore not be allowed to creep up again.
“We condemn the use of hate speech using words like madoadoa which from history have proven to be clarion call for ethnic clashes and war in this country,” the women leaders said.
According to the women leaders the term ‘madoadoa’ has proven to be clarion call to ethnic clashes and war in the country.
“It had been flagged as having been at the heart of the pre and post election violence witnessed in Kenya both in 1992 and 2007/2008,” they said.
The women leaders are They demanded nothing short of prompt investigation and prosecution of offenders.
In a political rally organized by Deputy President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) in Eldoret on Saturday, Linturi was recorded asking locals to eject ‘madoadoa’ who do not support Deputy President William Ruto’s presidential bid.
“We want to be in the coming government but I want to tell you, people of Uasin Gishu, not to play with Kenya and I am asking you to remove the spots you have here. We cannot stand with William Ruto from Mt Kenya yet you have people here who don’t listen and cannot team up with him,” (“Sisi tunataka kuwa kwa serikali inayokuja lakini nawaambia watu wa Uasin Gishu msicheze na Kenya na kile nawaomba ni kwamba madoadoa yale mliyonayo hapa muweze kuondoa. Hatuwezi kuwa tukisimama na William Ruto kule Mt Kenya na mko na wengine hapa hawasikii na hawawezi ungana naye…”.) he said.
Linturi is currently being held at the Kaptembwo Police Station.
