Presidential aspirant Eliud Owalo has condemned remarks attributed to nominated lawmaker Joseph Wainaina Iraya, who allegedly told members of a Rift Valley community opposed to President William Ruto\u2019s re-election bid to leave the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Owalo, who will contest for the president seat on People’s Prosperity Party (PPP), said the remarks, contained in a video circulating on social media, risked inflaming ethnic tensions ahead of the 2027 general election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He linked the comments to the violence that followed the disputed 2007 presidential election, when more than 1,100 people were killed and more than 600,000 displaced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We must, therefore, never allow a similar experience to occur again, at all costs,” Owalo said in a statement issued on Tuesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He argued that the remarks were contrary to the Constitution, which protects citizens’ political rights and freedom of movement and residence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Article 38 guarantees citizens the right to make political choices and participate in elections, while Article 39 provides for the right to enter, remain in and reside anywhere in Kenya.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Owalo also cited Chapter Six of the Constitution, which sets out ethical standards for public officers and requires leaders to uphold public trust and promote public confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He called on political leaders to avoid using ethnicity to mobilise support as political parties and candidates prepare for the 2027 election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Leaders must be deterred from spewing utterances that are likely to turn political competition into an ethnic contest,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Owalo urged the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to investigate and take action where appropriate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He also called for the law to be applied equally to politicians on both sides of the political divide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The law must be applied equally and indiscriminately to leaders allied to the opposition … as well as those supporting President Ruto’s re-election,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Rift Valley was one of the areas worst affected by the violence that followed the 2007 election, making ethnic and political rhetoric in the region particularly sensitive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Owalo said Kenyans should be free to support candidates of their choice without intimidation or coercion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Iraya’s response to the statement was not included in Owalo’s remarks.
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Presidential aspirant Eliud Owalo has condemned remarks attributed to nominated lawmaker Joseph Wainaina Iraya, who allegedly told members of a Rift Valley community opposed to President William Ruto\u2019s re-election bid to leave the region. Owalo, who will contest for the president seat on People’s Prosperity Party (PPP), said the remarks, contained in a video circulating […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":26291,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[69,68],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26288","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n