Photo/FILE Former Alego Usonga MP Otieno Mak’Onyango in court. He said Mr Moi should be personally held responsible for his detention because as the Head of State.
By PAUL OGEMBA pogemba@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Friday, March 9 2012 at 22:30
Posted Friday, March 9 2012 at 22:30
IN SUMMARY
- Former detainee says retired leader signed into law Bill that sparked anger
Former President Daniel Moi was responsible for the 1982 attempted coup, a court heard on Friday.
According to Mr Otieno Mak’Onyango, had the former president declined to assent to a Bill that turned the country into a one-party state, there would have been no dissent and anger that led to the attempted coup.
He said that as a result of the amendment, a large number of people felt sidelined in the political affairs of the country and resorted to rebellion “which was the only available option”.
“As the Baringo MP and the commander-in-chief (of the armed forces), he was party to the constitutional amendment, which led to anger and dissent among the people.
He did not use his power and authority to save the country despite intelligence reports that people were not happy with the amendment,” said Mr Mak’Onyango, a former MP.
He was giving his submissions during the hearing of a petition in which he has sued the former president and the government for his arrest after the 1982 attempted coup and subsequent four-year detention without trial. (READ: Former MP sues over Moi era detention)
He said Mr Moi should be personally held responsible for his detention because as the Head of State, he had the preserve of ordering people to be detained and that the security officers only acted on his behalf to execute his wishes.
Mr Mak’Onyango said he should receive a Sh2 billion compensation for the detention and subsequent loss of employment after police officers destroyed all his transcripts and certificates.
“I even spent the years in detention writing books. I had 16 manuscripts but when I was released, they confiscated and destroyed them leaving me a pauper,” he said.
He argued that his arrest was malicious since the person who informed the police of his involvement in the attempted coup had talked of one “Onyango Otieno” yet he was Otieno Mak’Onyango.
The hearing was adjourned to April 23 when the retired president is expected to respond to the accusations.
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