MPs condemn chaos that marred Raila's Githurai rally

Five MPs have condemned the attack against ODM leader Raila Odinga’s motorcade on Wednesday afternoon when he took the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) referendum campaigns to Githurai in Nairobi.

MPs Simba Arati (Dagoretti North), Makali Mulu (Kitui Central), Godfrey Osotsi (nominated), Samuel Atandi (Alego Usonga) and Alfred Agoi (Sabatia), who spoke to the Nation on the phone separately, said it is primitive to block any Kenyan from accessing any part of the country.

The MPs were united in urging Kenyans to be tolerant and avoid attending political rallies of those whose policies they don’t ascribe to or support.

“Tolerance is the hallmark of democracy. I want to urge Kenyans not to attend a meeting of a politician whose views they do not like or support,” Mr Arati said.

“If you have to attend such meetings, then listen to whatever is being said without causing chaos because, ultimately, it is you to make the ultimate decision at the ballot,” said the Dagoretti North MP.

The stoning of Mr Odinga’s motorcade comes a day after the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) submitted the BBI sponsored Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill 2020 to the Speakers of all the 47 County Assemblies after verifying 1.14 million signatures.

The County Assemblies will have three months from the date they received the signatures to consider the BBI Bill that seeks to amend the 2010 constitution and either pass it or reject it without amendments before filing returns to the Speakers of the National Assembly and Senate.

The promoters of the initiative presented over four million signatures to the Wafula Chebukati-chaired commission in December last year for verification.

While announcing the transmission of the BBI Bill to the County Assemblies, Mr Chebukati noted that the commission will continue with the verification process of the remaining signatures.

The constitution provides that to amend the constitution through a referendum, at least 1 million signatures are required.

“Surely, why throw stones at a fellow Kenyan, more so a leader? Such behaviour belongs to the political dustbin and I want to urge youths to refrain from being used by whomever to polarise this country that we love,” Mr Mulu said.

“Do not bother hurling stones or insults at a politician. Just deny him your vote at the ballot,” Mr Mulu added.

Mr Atandi and Mr Osotsi said that causing chaos at Mr Odinga’s rallies goes against the sacrifices he made through illegal detentions to ensure that Kenya becomes a just and democratic society.

“Mr Odinga is the living beacon of the struggle for democracy in this country. Even the youths disrupting his meetings know that Mr Odinga was tortured in detention cells as he fought to enhance their rights and freedoms,” Mr Atandi said.

Mr Osotsi urged the police to get to the root cause of the mayhem and bring those involved to book.

“The police and other arms of government have a singular duty to get to the bottom of these nasty scenes. No stone should be left unturned as the country heads to the BBI campaigns and the 2022 succession politics,” said Mr Osotsi.

Mr Agoi said political violence and intolerance have no place in the modern world.

“Those behind the hate campaign should feel ashamed. BBI was conceptualised to solidify the fabric that is Kenyan society into a peaceful environment to nurture development and growth and not cheap political rhetoric,” Mr Agoi said.

But even as the city’s Githurai chaos marred Mr Odinga’s tour, he promised to be back in the area for another round of BBI campaigns.