CS Nkaissery has betrayed ODM, Senator claims

Kilifi Senator Stewart Madzayo has hit out at Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery for frustrating Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) operations despite having been a member of the party.

Speaking in Malindi on Friday, Madzayo accused Nkaissery of intimidating Coalitions for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) legislators saying his actions are tantamount to betrayal.

“Sometimes I wonder whether we did the right thing in giving Nkaissery the Interior CS job. He was at one time one of us before President Uhuru Kenyatta appointed him into Cabinet and now he has turned against us,” he said.

The Senator told CS Nkaissery to desist from intimidating Women Representatives Aisha Jumwa (Kilifi), Florence Mutua (Busia), MPs Junet Mohamed (Suna East) and Timothy Bosire (Kitutu Masaba), and Machakos Senator Johnson Muthama through unwarranted arrests.

He noted that criticism of Jubilee government does not amount to hate speech, adding that there is a need to respect freedom of speech.

Nkaissery has come under sharp criticism from CORD leaders who accuse him of evincing dictatorial tendencies, allegations that he has denied.

Addressing the press after a lunch meeting with seven of the eight legislators arrested over hate speech, CORD leader Raila Odinga said that the retired Major General was employing military tactics in handling national issues saying his move to issue arrest orders were archaic.

Nkaissery, in a rejoinder, distanced himself from the arrests saying he has no power to make such orders.

He, however, stated that it was within the law to arrest the legislators over hate speech adding that similar actions should be taken – not just against political leaders, but every Kenyan found to have committed the offence.

Madzayo’s remarks were echoed by Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi who accused Jubilee of infringing on freedom of speech.

Kingi said that CORD legislators who were arrested and detained last week over alleged hate remarks were within their Constitutional right to criticise the government saying their arrests were a contravention of the law.

“We will not allow Jubilee to use hate speech crackdown to frustrate the Opposition. I was a student of law for five years and I am ready to take one week off just to sit down with Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet and educate him on the difference between hate speech and freedom of speech.”

“If someone points out the ills in my government, like unfair recruitment of county officers and they have evidence to back their allegations – that would not be hate speech. This is what Jubilee should learn.”

The leaders called on the government to focus on delivering its promises to Kenyans instead of waging war against CORD.

The Malindi rally was one of three that CORD leader Raila Odinga will be holding this weekend in home turfs of the legislators who were arrested last week.

@benjaminwafula