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Jubilee, CORD trade barbs over Mpeketoni attack

While a section of Jubilee legislators agreed with Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph ole Lenku that activities of the Opposition were to blame for insecurity, CORD lawmakers dismissed the claims as irresponsible/AFP

While a section of Jubilee legislators agreed with Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph ole Lenku that activities of the Opposition were to blame for insecurity, CORD lawmakers dismissed the claims as irresponsible/AFP

NAIROBI, Kenya Jun 16 – Jubilee and CORD legislators on Monday traded accusations over Sunday’s attack in Mpeketoni that left 48 people dead.

While a section of Jubilee legislators agreed with Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph ole Lenku that activities of the Opposition were to blame for insecurity, CORD lawmakers dismissed the claims as irresponsible.

Kikuyu Member of Parliament Kimani Ichungwa said there was a clear trend that the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy was inciting Kenyans.

“The recent events by Raila Odinga including yesterday’s Tononoka rally are very disturbing and inciting pronouncements. We want him to confirm that his utterances yesterday in Mombasa and before were not a precursor to this Mpeketoni massacre,” he challenged.

“We also want and demand of him to explain to Kenyans what he meant by his statement directed to the President that; “ukiona mwenzako akinyolewa chako kitie maji ama utanyolewa bila (when you see your colleague being shaved, apply water on your head, lest you face a dry shave.”

Thika Town Member of Parliament Alice Ng’ang’a said the CORD leader should stop creating havoc during the rallies and instead preach peace.

“We want to tell CORD leadership led by Raila Amolo Odinga that being silent does not mean we are cowards. It means we love our country Kenya and the government does want as to go through what we underwent in 2007.”

“He should tell us what he was doing in Boston for three months. Did he have a hidden agenda?”

On Monday afternoon, police tear-gassed a group of youths which blocked a section of Ngong Road to protest the Mpeketoni attacks.

The group carrying placards were blaming politicians for fuelling hatred in the country, leading to the attacks in Lamu, just after Interior Cabinet Secretary, Joseph ole Lenku, issued a similar warning.

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But soon after Lenku blamed politics for the Lamu attacks, CORD leaders made a quick rejoinder, dismissing the Interior Cabinet Secretary’s assertions that their political activities are linked to the Mpeketoni attacks.

READ Political link likely in Mpeketoni attack – Lenku

Senators Moses Wetangula, Amos Wako and Boni Khalwale said Lenku should delink politics from the country’s security and seek ways of protecting Kenyans.

“We should divorce the criminal justice system from politics; in fact I would advice Lenku to talk less on this matter and leave the people who are operating to speak on it and inform the public on what’s going on and how far they have gone on the investigations and so on, said Wako. “Let us not prejudge situations, if you say it is politics it means you knew something about it and if you are in the situation of authority then why didn’t you stop it”.

The Opposition politicians are instead urging Lenku to re-direct his energies in pursing the real attackers, terming his assertions as a big joke on a serious matter.

“I hope that Ole Lenku does the right thing and resign as our minister for Internal Security and if he can’t the president has the final word he should sack some of these people. He should shake the security organs,” Khalwale demanded.

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