The government has cautioned political leaders against making inflammatory remarks following Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga’s inflammatory remarks on the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, which have sparked an outcry in the country.
In a Wednesday statement, Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura urged leaders to shun hateful or discriminatory utterances, stating that the country was undergoing a sensitive period of national mourning that called for cohesion and not division.
“Now that we are at this delicate moment of national bereavement, we appeal to all leaders to avoid hate speech and come together in the spirit of one Kenya. Leaders do not have to agree and disagree but Kenya is ours, yours and ours,” Mwaura said in the statement.
He also added that the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) had been directed to act with haste in addressing any individual spreading ethnic hatred or divide.
The threat followed after Governor Kahiga on Tuesday described Raila’s death as “a blessing” to the Mount Kenya region. He also insinuated that development projects previously earmarked for Nyanza would henceforth be channeled to Central Kenya remarks that most Kenyans, including politicians, condemned as insensitive and divisive.
“Government invites all leaders on both sides of the political divide to respect the memory of the late Raila Odinga and the spirit of the Constitution by ensuring peace, unity, and dignity to all Kenyans,” added Mwaura.
He also defended President William Ruto’s government, saying it was committed to bringing fair development to all parts of the country regardless of political allegiances.
The President has gone beyond polarizing politics and served all Kenyans regardless of whether or not they voted for him. No one is left behind in this nation that is the hallmark of leadership founded on unity and inclusivity,” he said.
Governor Kahiga’s words, uttered during a burial ceremony in his home village in Nyeri, sparked a storm of opprobrium from government and opposition leaders.
The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), led by Gladys Wanga, demanded that Kahiga be kicked out as vice chairperson of the Council of Governors (COG).
Under mounting pressure, Kahiga Wednesday morning resigned as leader of COG and later tendered a public apology to the Odinga family and nation, claiming his words were taken out of context.
He claimed his intention had not been to mock the late opposition leader but to comment on the changing political landscape following his death.
The government has, nonetheless, maintained that this kind of language, especially during a period of mourning, is not Kenya’s politics and is distracting from the spirit of national unity.
