ODM Party leader Raila Odinga finally gave his opinion on the recent escalation surrounding the remarks made by Emurua Dikir MP Johana Ng’eno touching on President Uhuru Kenyatta and his family.
The embattled legislator was present as Raila addressed the delegates that had gathered in Bomet on Saturday, September 19. He made a stop in the Rift Valley alongside his close confidant and Siaya Senator James Orengo.
"What Ng’eno forgot to tell you is that I paid for his university education, but I must have forgotten to teach him about manners," Raila stated, resulting in laughter from the crowd.
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“I talk to him a lot. If you have an issue with your fellow man, there is no need to bring his mother into it. I remember when we were in school if anyone crossed that unwritten rule, it always ended in a full-blown fight,” he added.
He further reiterated that his defense of Mama Ngina did not mean he did not believe in the freedom of speech, but rather that there needed to be a level of decorum when leaders were addressing each other.
Ng’eno and Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi, a member of the Kenya African National Union (KANU) headed by Gideon, came under condemnation for utterances he made against the first family, specifically Mama Ngina Kenyatta fire during the event that was held at nominated MP Wilson Sossion’s home, to mark his daughter’s admission to the bar.
Baringo Senator Gideon Moi had also on Sunday apologized to 17 women leaders, among them Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru, during an exclusive meeting he hosted at his Kabarak home.
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Raila maintained that it was wrong to drag the names of Uhuru’s parents for political mileage.
When it was his turn to speak, Ng’eno put up a brave face as he defended himself by saying that his statements were taken out of context.
“I was actually addressing President Kenyatta whom I voted for in the last election and I stand by what I said," he asserted, before going on to dare his party KANU to strip him of his membership.
On September 2, police officers in Trans Mara East arrested the legislator, and he was charged with incitement.
Dramatic scenes were witnessed at his Mogondo home shortly before 4.30 p.m. on the day, as his constituents stormed his home and tried to guard him against the police.
At one point, the police officers had to shoot in the air to try and disperse the crowd.
In his address, Raila maintained that respect and decorum was vital for any leader and urged the MP to tone down on his utterances as they would eventually lead to a ‘fight’. The ODM party leader when on to drum up support for the BBI before heading out to Kisumu.
During the Kabarak home meeting, Gideon, while referring to the women as the coalition of the like-minded, disclosed that they discussed issues pertaining to women contained in the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).
“I am very happy to note that, in the BBI, are issues that uplift the standards of living of women. I have assured them of my personal support and that of our party,” stated the senator.
Meanwhile…
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Deputy President William Ruto’s allies from the Western region chased police officers who threatened to arrest them at a gathering on Sunday, September 20.
Leaders in attendance included Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa, former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale, Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali and his Webuye West counterpart Dan Wanyama among others.
The gathering was held in Shinyalu, Kakamega County at the home of Boniface Lihanda who is a staunch supporter of the Deputy President.
Barasa revealed that police disrupted the meeting after accusing them of breaching Covid-19 regulations.
"We were meeting delegates allied to the Deputy President and were about 200. All of us had observed social distancing rules.
“The Ministry of Interior is being used to wage political wars yet we have many Kenyans who need police protection but we are being threatened with arrests because of the Covid-19 regulations,” he explained.
Barasa added that they had convened the meeting to start early campaigns for Ruto in the region in the build-up to the 2022 General Elections.
When police arrived in the premises, they ordered everyone to leave the gathering but things turned chaotic when the politicians stayed put.
Shinyalu Sub-County Police commander Robert Makau had an altercation with the leaders present in the gathering as he was chased away.
“After dispersing the crowd, the leaders remained behind to plot on the next move but he went too far, he charged at as telling us to leave,” added Barasa.
This comes despite President Uhuru Kenyatta, his Deputy William Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga having held a number of gatherings across the country.
