NAIROBI, Kenya Sep 12 – Locals blocked roads in Kapseret Saturday, following plans by police to arrest area Member of Parliament Oscar Sudi.
Sudi is wanted over hate speech remarks he made earlier this week, when he also hurled insults at President Uhuru Kenyatta’s mother, Mama Ngina.
On Friday night, reports say he mobilised youths to sorround his home after police were seen in the vicinity in two vehicles, a day after he dared them to arrest him.
Transport was paralysed on the main Kapsabet-Eldoret road, where youths used logs and stones to block the road.
In is remarks which went viral on social media, Sudi said he stands by his statements in which he castigated the President and his mother, saying “Kenya does not belong to them.”
He said he was unhappy with “the way the president has mistreated his Deputy William Ruto”, and demanded respect for him “because we worked so hard to get Jubilee in power.”
Similar remarks were made by Johanna Ng’eno, the Emurua Dikirr MP, who has since faced charges in court for incitement, and freed on bail. He faced charges on remarks he made about the controversial Mau Forest Complex.
In a rejoinder, President Uhuru Kenyatta told off the leaders, saying they should “leave my mother out of their politics.”
President Kenyatta said it was unfortunate that leaders had resorted to insulting his mother, Mama Ngina, instead of addressing challenges facing Kenyans.
“I already said that I am focusing on developments and I do not want to engage in politics with anyone. However, those who are looking for me by insulting my mother should stop. They should leave my mother alone and out of politics,” Kenyatta told a roadside meeting in Ruaka on Wednesday.
The two leaders said they were dissatisfied with Kenyatta’s “mistreatment of his Deputy William Ruto,” and demanded respect for him from the President who appear to have sidelined him on their second term in office.
The Deputy President fired back at the leaders, telling them to calm down, saying there is no excuse to insult anyone’s mother.
But the Kapseret MP remains adamant, vowing “I will not apologise.”
Remarks by the two leaders have only served to escalate tensions between the President and his Deputy who are rarely seen in public together as used to be during their earlier days in office.