Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Govt should apologise for 'humiliating' Raila- ODM

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ODM's South Mugirango MP Manson Nyamweya (right) and Homa Bay Women Representative Gladys Wanga (left) during a news conference in Nairobi June 4, 2013. ODM demanded an apology from the government for "humiliating" former Prime Minister Raila Odinga by denying him access to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport's VIP lounge. ANN KAMONI
ODM's South Mugirango MP Manson Nyamweya (right) and Homa Bay Women Representative Gladys Wanga (left) during a news conference in Nairobi June 4, 2013. ODM demanded an apology from the government for "humiliating" former Prime Minister Raila Odinga by denying him access to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport's VIP lounge. ANN KAMONI 
By ISAAC ONGIRI iongiri@ke.nationmedia.com and LUCAS BARASA lbarassa@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Tuesday, June 4  2013 at  15:33
The Orange Democratic Movement has demanded an apology from the government for "humiliating" former Prime Minister Raila Odinga by denying him access to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport's VIP lounge.
Five ODM MPs spoke as the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) management denied its staff blocked Mr Odinga entry to the VIP lounge at JKIA.
KAA explained that while Mr Odinga and his wife Ida Odinga are free to use the lounge, access to the airside cannot be granted as a matter of national security.
“According to national security regulations, only vehicle convoys belonging to the President of Kenya, visiting Heads of State and the Deputy President of Kenya can access the airside at any of the airports in Kenya,” said KAA in a statement Wednesday.
"KAA also clarified that JKIA has three VIP Lounges – the State Pavilion for the President of Kenya and visiting Heads of State, the VIP III Lounge for the Deputy President of Kenya and Retired Heads of State and the Government VIP Lounge for Ambassadors and Government VIPs.
"The former Prime Minister has unrestricted access to the Government VIP Lounge," the statement said.
Addressing journalists at Orange House in Nairobi, MPs Manson Nyamweya, Gladys Wanga, Mishi Juma, Silvanos Osele and Simeon Ogari said they were dismayed by the treatment the Jubilee Government has been subjecting Mr Odinga to since assuming power.
“First, they withdrew his security detail without giving him notice, leaving him vulnerable despite his service to the Nation. Then came the Mombasa airport incident where together with the Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, were kept waiting for over an hour before being allowed into the VIP facilities,” the MPs said in a statement.
Acting on orders
The MPs said denying the former PM entry to the VIP lounge, “is barbaric, archaic and disrespect to the democracy which he has fought for, for many years".
The MPs accused Secretary to the Cabinet Francis Kimemia of being behind Mr Odinga’s "humiliation".
“The officers at the airport claimed they were acting on orders from above through a circular written by the former Head of Public Service Francis Kimemia. We demand to know, who authorised Mr Kimemia to do the said circular. It is worth noting that Hon Odinga’s wife, Mama Ida, was subjected to similar treatment last week as she travelled abroad. This is unacceptable.”
The MPs said Mr Odinga should be respected, having fought for the country’s liberation and shaped the politics and Kenya’s destiny.
“Many freedoms enjoyed by all today are attributed to his struggle and selflessness. Mr Odinga was a co-principal in the previous government and therefore, we want to know if the same treatment applies to the retired President Kibaki and his wife Lucy. There should be no application of double standards,” the MPs said.
They said Mr Odinga enjoys support of more than half of Kenyans and that they will not sit and watch him humiliated.
Suna East MP Junet Mohammed also took issue with the persistent humiliation of Mr Odinga by people he termed as “extremist” in President Uhuru Kenyatta’s government keen on unnecessary vengeance.
“We see this as a calculated attempt by an individual or a group of individuals out to frustrate the former Prime Minister, who is a qualified statesman in our view. If Artur Margaryan and Artur Sargsyan could be granted access to the VIP longue, it is sad that someone would want to block the former Prime Minister from enjoying such privileges, ”Mr Mohamed stated.

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