BY SARAH WAMBUI
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| null     1/1 NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 5 - Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta on Saturday claimed that he had not yet received any cessation notice from the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) asking him to stop exchanging insults with Prime Minister Raila Odinga in public. Mr Kenyatta promised to respect the commission’s directive if it ensured that all leaders were held to account for their statements without bias and regardless of the positions they held. He added that public institutions meant to promote justice should not shield any leader found guilty of propagating ethnic tensions. “This is what I’m telling Kibunjia (NCIC Chairperson); if we are all to respect the law then start with those who keep breaking it because they must set an example. If the commission does that, we will all respect the law. But we can’t have laws that favour certain people while punishing others,” he charged. The PM and the Finance Minister have in recent pasts engaged in public quarrel, forcing the NCIC to intervene. On Thursday the commission indicated that it had communicated to the two leaders calling for a ceasefire. The commission’s vice chairperson Mary Onyango expressed concern with their public spat saying it could incite tribal divisions. Mr Kenyatta alleged that those in the PM’s camp continued hurling insults as well as making reference to the KKK tag despite it being banned by the NCIC. “They are not only using the KKK tag but have also resorted to name calling. They call people alcoholics, thieves and even bhang smokers so if the commission holds such people to account then we will know that the law is taking effect,” said Mr Kenyatta. The deputy PM was speaking at a rally at Muthurwa market where he was accompanied by Eldoret North MP William Ruto, Mandera East MP Hussein Mohamed, Naivasha MP John Mututho, Embakasi MP Ferdinand Waititu and former Nairobi mayor Joe Aketch. Some contestants of the Kamukunji seat (whose by elections are set for May 23) were also in attendance. Mr Ruto challenged the country’s judicial and reform institutions to subject all leaders to an integrity test, without prejudice, singling out the Premier as tainted with scandals. “The American ambassador says you know who is behind the maize scandal, the molasses scandal is pending in court because of you and yet you keep pointing accusing fingers at other people,” he charged. The former Higher Education Minister also asked the PM to engage in developmental politics as opposed to smear campaigns. He argued that Kenya deserved leaders who were driven by a development agenda. “Kenyans want food, some decent clothing and shelter. The problem in this country is poverty and unemployment. Story tellers and people who keep making insults and giving metaphors have no place in development,” he said. Mr Mohamed also accused some members of the Orange Democratic Movement of sabotaging democracy. He said it was wrong for a section of the ODM leadership to kick out members of the party on grounds that they had started associating with members of the opposition. He argued that the ODM was a combination of many political parties that held varying positions. “ODM is not one party. We have the United Democratic Movement (UDM) , Narc and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) so if they don’t want some of our members, then they should also do away with DPP, Narc and UDM. We don’t want dictatorship in this country,” he said. Follow the author at https://twitter.com/wambuindonga |
Read more: http://capitalfm.co.ke/news/Kenyanews/Uhuru%2C-Ruto-maintain-onslaught-on-Raila-11943.html#ixzz1FjtPKz5c
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