- Kalenjin elders said former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua’s statement over the 2007 post-election violence was reckless
- The members of the Myoot Council of Elders in Nakuru said such remarks were likely to injure the hearts of many who were victims of the violence
- They demanded that Gachagua publicly apologise, even as they challenged the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) to rise to the occasion
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Nakuru: A section of the Kalenjin community elders has demanded an apology from former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua over his controversial utterances on the 2007 post-election violence.
Why Kalenjin elders want Gachagua to apologise
The Myoot council of elders said that utterances they described as reckless have the potential to injure the hearts of many people from the county, still reeling from the effects of post-election violence.
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Speaking in Nakuru on Monday, May 19, the elders, led by the council’s chairman, Yatich Kangugo, said the utterances send chilling messages to the region.
“Politicians over the last two or three days have been speaking very divisive statements. Nakuru is a cosmopolitan county in the country that has suffered numerous post-election violence incidents in the past. The reckless utterance by Rigathi Gachagua is unfortunate and threatens the cohesive relationship we have built over time,” Kangugo said.
The elders want the former deputy president to publicly apologise for his utterances and retract his statements to assure the region that a leader of such magnitude is not hatching violent means of resolving political dissatisfaction.
They further took issue with the deaf silence from the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) to rein in the leaders who have been engaging in warmongering and putting the nation on panic mode.
Can NCIC help restore political order?
According to the elders, the commission under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia should rise to the occasion and help the country navigate the political order.
“Nakuru has been the hotbed of high-octane politics. It’s so grave that all of us must condemn such attempts to resurrect such use of violence to settle political questions,” another Kalenjin elder said.
“You were once a District Officer in this country and you understand the effects that violence brought and as such you can’t wish the problem to recur again just because you want to settle scores with President William Ruto,” he added.
John Kiprono, a former civic leader, said that the nation is more important than partisan interests of individuals who want to get to power through whatever means.
He noted that many communities have been rebuilding their unity for some time now especially in Rift Valley and leaders ought to support the initiatives and avoid divisive politics.
The elders also implored on the government to avoid any temptation to use the criminal justice system to crush opponents, saying there must be moderation.
Is government planning to arrest Gachagua?
Previously, TUKO.co.ke reported that Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka had claimed the government was planning to arrest Gachagua.
Kalonzo’s statement came after claims that the former president’s homes had been raided by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
Since his ouster, Gachagua has been a fierce critic of the Kenya Kwanza administration.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
