Opposition chief Raila Odinga has condemned the violence witnessed in Kenol town, Murang’a County on Sunday where two people were killed as two groups clashed ahead of a church visit by Deputy President William Ruto.
Raila, who heads the Orange Democratic Movement party, said that the violence and vandalism witnessed two years from a General Election forebodes chaos if stern action is not taken.
“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. Furthermore, the seeds of violence being planted now could easily follow us into that election, with grave consequences,” said Raila, who has been working closely with President Uhuru Kenyatta since their handshake in 2018 that ended post-election tensions and violence.
The ODM leader said it was disturbing that young people were ferried in buses from one county to another to engage in running battles with locals.
“We must regard such politics as outdated and out of tune with our current aspirations to move past our divided and bitter past as a nation in favour of politics of engagement rather than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,” said Raila.
He called on government authorities to move with speed to bring to book those who planned and funded the deadly mayhem.
Further, he warned fellow politicians against engaging in early election campaigns.
“Let’s renounce the politics of violence and militarization of our youth as a means of achieving power,” said Raila.
Already, the National Transport and Safety Authority has already summoned the Sacco managers of Neo Kenya Mpya Commuters Limited and Joy Kenya Services Limited to provide more information about the incidents.
However, in a quick rejoinder after the summons, Neo Kenya Mpya Ltd distanced itself from the Kenol violence, saying that its resources were not used in any way to facilitate the occurrences at Kenol.
“Neo Kenya Mpya Ltd would like to categorically state and confirm that we were neither involved in any way nor form in the unfortunate mayhem that occurred at Kenol-Murang’a this past week,” the bus company said in a statement shared on social media.
In an interview on Punchline on Sunday, Jubilee Vice-Chairman David Murathe had claimed that the buses that ferried goons from Thika’s Kiandutu slums to Kenol town belonged to Kenya Mpya buses, a claim the company has firmly denied.
Murathe claimed that the buses are owned by a prominent political family in Mt Kenya that is currently aligned to the Tanga Tanga wing of the Jubilee Party.
After the chaos, the Inspector-General of Police Hillary Mutyambai ordered the immediate arrest of two Murang’a MPs, Alice Wahome (Kandara) and Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu).
On Sunday morning, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations ordered the two Tanga Tanga MPs to record statements at their Nyeri regional offices.
