Uhuru tells PM Raila to respect Kibaki

Monday, 07 March 2011 00:01 BY FRANCIS MUREITHI

STANDPOINT: DPM Uhuru Kenyatta address wananchi at Ruthimitu in Dangoreti.

Finance minister Uhuru Kenyatta yesterday told Prime Minister Raila Odinga to respect President Kibaki and other leaders if he expects to be respected.Uhuru accused Raila of taking advantage of President Kibaki’s aloofness since the formation of the coalition government in 2008. “We have a President, and he should be given his respect. We have a Prime Minister who should also be given his respect. But respect is a give-and-take process,” said Uhuru during a fundraiser in aid of the construction of Cardinal Otunga Memorial Church in Ruthimitu Dagoretti constituency.

The deputy Prime Minister said though the PNU members did not want Raila to be included in the coalition government after the 2007 disputed election, Kibaki prevailed upon them to accept him. “We then kept quiet and concentrated on our work, even though many thought we had quit politics. But because of this quietness, some thought we were cowards,” said Uhuru.

He said the PM had adopted a“chest-thumping” style of leadership and accused him of lacking humility.

Uhuru said he and Raila had in the past few weeks engaged in public exchange saying he had done so because the PM consids the PNU leaders cowards.

Speaking in Kikuyu, Uhuru said, “Ni ndindikanite na kimundu giakwa u kuigana,” (I have pushed and shoved with my man long enough.) The verbal attacks have seen the National Cohesion and Integration Commission warn Raila, Uhuru and Eldoret North MP William Ruto.

Last week, CIC vice chair Mary Onyango said continued altercation could act as a possible trigger of ethnic division that will affect the harmonious and peaceful co-existence between different ethnic communities.

But even after the warning, Uhuru, Ruto and several other MPs continued with their verbal attack against the PM in Nairobi’s Eastlands on Saturday.

Yesterday, the five MPs who accompanied Uhuru to the fund raiser continued to heap blame on Raila accusing him of working against the unity of the country.

The MPs said they will not relent in their fight to block suspects of post-election violence being taken to Hague for prosecution. “We believe there is no need to take anyone to Hague. Those who want to send others to Hague their aim is to create an opportunity for themselves which otherwise they will not get,” said Public Health minister Beth Mugo.

Others MPs present were Lewis Nguyai (Kikuyu), Ferdinand Waititu (Embakasi), John Mututho (Naivasha) and Joshua Kutunyi (Cherangany). Also present were former Defence minister Njenga Karume, former Mathioya MP Joseph Kamotho and Administration Police commandant Kinuthia Mbugua.AP Commandant Kinuthia Mbugua.

Kutunyi said some politicians were unhappy with the unity of locals in Rift Valley citing it as the reason why such leaders have talked negatively about the KKK alliance.

He claimed that some politicians spend sleepless nights strategising on how ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moren- Ocampo could succeed in prosecuting the six post-election violence suspects.

The six are Uhuru, Ruto, Henry Kosgey, head of public service Francis Muthaura, former police commissioner Maj-Gen (Rtd) Hussein Ali and radio journalist Joshua Sang. “If you want Uhuru and Ruto to go to The Hague, you don’t know what God has planned for you,” he said.