Jubilee MPs want George Aladwa arrested over remarks

NAIROBI: Two Jubilee legislators have called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of former Nairobi Mayor George Aladwa over alleged ethnic hatred and incitement to violence.

 

Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri and his Molo counterpart Jacob Macharia separately criticised the Nairobi politician for allegedly warning of deaths and violence should Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) leader Raila Odinga win the next presidential and is rigged out.

In a statement, Mr Ngunjiri, who is on an official visit to Wellington, New Zealand, said Mr Aladwa's type of politics was outdated, uncouth and an affront to peaceful co-existence among the many ethnic groups in the country.

"How can a grown up and a responsible leader utter such incitements at a time when the country is going through a healing process after the 2008 ethnic killings," said the MP who has accompanied the Parliamentary Select Committee on National Cohesion and Equal Opportunities.

He said the police and Judiciary will be held responsible should there be any ethnic flare up before and after the 2017 elections since most of those leaders drumming up hatred and violence were known.

Mr Macharia called on the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Keriako Tobiko to order investigations into Aladwa's utterances with a view to prosecute him.

"The police, DPP's office, Francis ole Kaparo and the courts have become toothless bull dogs. They have not shown willingness to bite even after serious words of incitements have been uttered," he said.

public outcry

The DPP has since ordered the Criminal Investigations Department to investigate Aladwa.

Macharia said that Aladwa's utterances were a preparation for war as Kenyans approached the 2017 General Election.

Aladwa, who is Orange Democratic Movement's Nairobi branch chairman, found himself in hot water after a video of him allegedly inciting a charged crowd in Kibra, Nairobi emerged.

Through a video posted on Facebook early Wednesday Aladwa, is seen and heard saying that for Raila to be a President, Kenyans may have to spill blood.

"This time round ikiwa tutashinda na watunyang'anye, wacha kiumane," said Aladwa said in Kiswahili. (If we win the election and it is rigged, let there be trouble)

The remarks in the two-minute video have gone viral on social media and provoked public outcry.

On Twitter Thursday, Kenyans used #ArrestAladwa to express their displeasure.

Kieni MP Kanini Kega tweeted:‏ Bwana IG @JBoinnet #ArrestAladwa and similar characters expeditiously before Kenya burns. Raila is not enough a reason to destroy this nation. Barbie Teresa tweeted: Someone #ArrestAladwa as soon as now. We don't want a repeat of 2007. Can't wait to hear what CORD leaders will say.

Ahmed Mohamed said that Aladwa's utterances cannot be taken lightly. "His utterances could take the country into disastrous and irrecoverable turmoil," he said on his Twitter account.

But even as other Kenyans on Twitter expressed their anger, some came to Aladwa's defence.

Dikembe ‏@Disembe tweeted:#ArrestAladwa for saying if elections are rigged people will die?