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Kenya: Ichung’wah’s Letter to the President – Stop the Verbal Violence

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4 years ago

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Nairobi — Kikuyu lawmaker Kimani Ichung’wah has welcomed President Uhuru Kenyatta’s condemnation of violence against leaders following an incident involving the helicopter that flew Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga to Soy on Friday.

Reacting to President Kenyatta’s remarks on Sunday, Ichung’wah said the public condemnation of violence by the Head of State was welcome despite expressing reservations on his inaction in the past when similar incidents were targeted at Deputy President William Ruto and his allies.

“I fully concur with you and indeed join you in condemning any manner of violence against anyone based on their political beliefs or affiliation,” the former House Budget Committee Chairperson stated.

“This, Mr President, must and should include verbal violence, (such as you calling elected leaders Ghasia, Takataka, “gííko gia siasa”, Washenzi and Wakora”) and/or state intimidation, coercion and outright victimization by state officers and agencies of those not aligned to your political persuasion,” Ichung’wah went on to state in an open letter addressed to the President.

The Kikuyu Member of Parliament, an ardent supporter of Ruto in a region that has largely remained loyal to the Deputy President despite his having fallen out of favour with the President, also asked the Head of State to rein in on media outlets spreading hate messages unchecked.

He singled out a Mediamax Network-operated vernacular broadcaster for propagating such messages.

“I encourage you Mr President to equally condemn and use your office to put to an abrupt stop the Ethnic Incitement, profiling and outright hate mongering done by your family owned media through Kameme FM.”

Ichung’wah named a political activist he identified as Njenga Mungai as a key mobilizer of hate even as he appealed for the President’s intervention.

The lawmaker’s public letter emerged after President Kenyatta condemned the incident involving the chopper carrying his political ally Odinga saying it risked destabilizing the nation.

President Kenyatta spoke at Embakasi’s Pipeline area after attending a church service at the African Inland Church where he was accompanied by seven Cabinet Secretaries.

“If anything catastrophic occurred as a result of that, wouldn’t the country be on fire? Is that what we want?” he posed.

Odinga’s chopper came under attack from yet to be identified people when he travelled to Soy to attend the funeral of renown businessman Jackson Kibor.