Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, left, shares a light moment with Special Programmes minister Esther Murugi at Wamagana Catholic Church in Tetu, where they both attended a church service on February 27,2011. Also present was the area MP Francis Nyamu. Photo/ JOSEPH KANYI
By NATION TEAM newsdesk@ke.nationmedia.comPosted Sunday, February 27 2011 at 21:57
The war of words between three senior politicians intensified over the weekend with across-section of leaders calling for an end to the use of insulting language against fellow leaders.
Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and suspended Higher Education minister William Ruto have been involved in an ugly exchange of words as a result of a row over the nominations of four constitutional office holders that President Kibaki has since withdrawn.
And 10 MPs allied to a rebel ODM faction and PNU hit out at Mr Odinga over the weekend accusing him of being dictatorial and running the party with an iron fist.
Led by Mr Ruto, the MPs accused the PM of derailing the constitution implementation process by turning it into a side show of supremacy battles between him and President Kibaki.
Speaking in Moyale and in Laisamis in Marsabit over the weekend during a series of fundraisers for women and youth groups, the MPs asked Mr Odinga to explain how his family acquired the Kisumu Molasses plant.
The exchanges between Mr Odinga and his rivals turned to ugly the previous weekend during rallies in Wangige in Kiambu, Tononoka in Mombasa and in Markwet West and intensified this weekend.
Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka cautioned that inflammatory statements portray the country as constantly in a state of conflict.
The Vice President, who was accompanied by his wife, Pauline Kalonzo, was speaking during the launch of Mark Properties at Visa Oshwal, Nairobi, on Sunday.
Separately Mr Kenyatta asked Kenyans to reject leaders who used abusive language against their colleagues in public.
“Legacies are not built by insulting others in public, legacies are built through sweat and hard work.
“When you say that a donkey is tired and that we will be like Libya, and you are a whole prime minister, what message are you sending?” asked Mr Kenyatta, who together with his ally Mr Ruto has been the subject of vicious personal attacks from Mr Odinga.
And speaking in his constituency, Information minister Samuel Poghisio also asked the PM to desist from insulting fellow leaders.
He asked the PM to apologise to Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto for referring to them in a derogatory manner.
“When did Raila become a magistrate to charge other elected leaders? We all know that people with cases before court are innocent until the court proves otherwise,” he went on.
They were referring to Mr Odinga’s remarks at Tononoka grounds in Mombasa last weekend, repeated last Friday, where he depicted his foes as substance abusers and land grabbers.
“Kuna vijana wengine, wakiamka asubuhi, asubuhi, bangi. Wengine anamka asubuhi anatafuta mali ya kuiba. Anaona plot pale, amenyakua, plot nyingine hapa ananyakua, sasa kila mara kotini tu. Anatoka koti hii, (anaenda) koti hii, (There are some youths, when they wake up in the morning they take bhang. Others wake up in the morning to look for property to grab. They get a plot there and grab, another here and they also grab. Now they are constantly in court. They leave one court and go into another,” the PM told the crowd which in unison was chanting the names of Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto.
And speaking at the Country Bus Station in Nairobi on Friday, the PM described his opponents as thieves who should be in jail.
Mr Odinga has also come under attacks, bordering on outright insults from both Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto in recent weeks.
Mr Kenyatta fired the first salvo in an interview with a Kikuyu-language radio station, where he referred to Mr Odionga in a derogatory manner as “kimundu” .
Speaking at St Maria Cheptulon Girls’ Secondary in Marakwet West District where he presided over fund-raiser, Mr Ruto, without mentioning Mr Odinga by name stated:
“Tulikuwa KICC tukichunga kura wakati vita vilitokea. Sasa yeye anasema eti mimi nilikuwa napanga vita Eldoret, Kakamega, Kisumu, Bungoma mpaka Mombasa. Si huyu mtu ni wazimu? (We were at KICC protecting our votes when chaos broke out. Now he is saying that I was planning the fighting in Eldoret, Kakamega, Kisumu, Bungoma even Mombasa. Isn’t he a mad man?”
“Tulikuwa KICC tukichunga kura wakati vita vilitokea. Sasa yeye anasema eti mimi nilikuwa napanga vita Eldoret, Kakamega, Kisumu, Bungoma mpaka Mombasa. Si huyu mtu ni wazimu? (We were at KICC protecting our votes when chaos broke out. Now he is saying that I was planning the fighting in Eldoret, Kakamega, Kisumu, Bungoma even Mombasa. Isn’t he a mad man?”
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