In his claims, Odinga alleged that the Kenya Defence Forces were used to rig the March 2013 elections. Photo/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 22 – It seems like former Prime Minister Raila Odinga stirred the hornet’s nest when he accused the military of conniving with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to rob him of the presidency on March 4, 2013.
Odinga was quoted by the Sunday Standard allegedly making the remarks in Kisumu on Saturday while speaking in his native Luo language.
And now the National Security Advisory Committee wants the former Premier to apologise over the inflammatory remarks just two days after the electoral body demanded an apology from him.
Through a statement sent to media outlets on Wednesday, the committee Chairman Francis Kimemia accused Odinga of making false allegations because the military was never used in any of the polling or tallying centers.
According to Kimemia the only role that the military played at the time was to secure the country’s borders.
“As the Chair of the Assumption to the office of the President Committee which oversaw the transition process also, we would like to ask the former Prime Minister to desist from inciting Kenyans through his creative and inflammatory and false allegations,” said Kimemia.
”We also urge Mr Odinga to desist from inciting Kenyans over his democratic loss and disillusionment.”
The remarks have raised a storm in the country with Jubilee majority leader in the National Assembly Aden Duale being first to castigate him.
Duale accused the former PM of constantly complaining noting that he had first accused the IEBC of stealing his win, followed by the National Intelligence Service, then the Supreme Court and now the military.
“We are going to leave the former Prime Minister for what he is known for. He laments from January to December; that is what we know him for and that is his character. We cannot change it,” said Duale on Sunday.
Kimemia also asked Odinga to stop disparaging the country’s institutions because his CORD party had agents at all polling and tallying centers before the final result was announced.
“This is the time to strengthen professionalism and not demonise institutions especially now that we have a new Constitution in place. Good leadership strives to consolidate dynamic ethical institutions now and for posterity,” argued Kimemia.
Odinga remains silent on the apology demands.
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