NAIROBI, Kenya Mar 18 – The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) says they have received assurances from the former Prime Minister Raila Odinga that he will honor the summon that was issued against him over the use of the ‘madoadoa’ remarks that he made on March 9, 2022.
According to Kobia, Odinga was scheduled to appear before the Commission on Thursday but requested for the meeting to be pushed to a later date as he is out of the country.
“The Prime Minister has been cooperative with the Commission and he has assured us that he will honor the summon,” Kobia said.
Odinga is in the United Kingdom in London where he is on a five-day tour of the country and is scheduled to jet back into the country on Saturday.
Kobia thanked the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party Leader for apologizing following his remark and referred to him as “a statesman”.
“We continue to promise Kenyans that as far as it is within the purview of our institution no fish will be too big to fry,” he said.
While the ‘madoadoa’ phrase is often used to rally voters behind what is termed as a six-piece voting where parties urge their constituents to elect candidates in all elective posts from their outfits, it also carries a negative connotation of ethnic cleansing.
The word which evokes memories of the 2007-2008 post-election violence was recently used by Meru Senator Mithika Linturi who got arrested after using it. His case was however, subsequently dropped after the prosecution failed to prefer charges against him.
The Commission noted that it will soon publish a list constituting coded hate speech language.
“The list will be published in English, Kiswahili and all the vernacular languages,” Kobia said.
