Raila Odinga condemns Murang'a chaos
ODM leader Raila Odinga.
What you need to know:
- He has called on the government to move with speed to investigate and punish those culpable.
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga has condemned the violence in Murang’a County that led to the death of two people, as he asked politicians to shun early 2022 presidential campaigns.
“This spectre of violence and vandalism in the name of a presidential election that is over two years away, should be a serious cause for concern to all peace loving Kenyans,” Mr Odinga said in a statement issued on Monday.
He went on: “If this continues, and it easily can, it could spiral out of control and we will stagnate as a country, as the government will not deliver much in the remaining two years. Out of fear and anxiety, our citizens will shift their priorities from rebuilding the country to an election that is way far.”
He also called on the government to move with speed to investigate and punish those culpable.
“I appeal to the government to move with speed, and fairly but firmly deal with the people behind the violence so as to pass an unmistakable message that Kenyans don't deserve this and it must stop,” he said.
Already, Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro and his Kandara counterpart Alice Wahome have been summoned by police over the violence that rocked Kenol area, Murang’a when pro and anti-DP William Ruto groups clashed in the morning before a planned church service that the DP was to attend.
“Let us stop the early election campaigns. Let’s renounce the politics of violence and militarization of our youth as a mean of achieving power. We must regard such politics as outdated and out of tune with our current aspirations to move past our divided and bitter past as a nation in favour of politics of engagement rather than confrontation,” Mr Odinga said.
Mr Odinga said the seeds of violence being planted by the politicians “could easily follow us into that election, with grave consequences.”
“I want to appeal to fellow leaders to acknowledge that systemic violence has plagued our country for far too long and we all need to commit to work together to confront and end it,” Mr Odinga said.
