Raila under probe over alleged incitement to violence

The Director of Public Prosecutions, Keriako Tobiko, now says a probe has been launched over the alleged hate speech and incitement to violence allegations against the Opposition National Super Alliance (NASA) presidential candidate, Raila Odinga.

Tobiko says his office, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) have started a joint probe and a report on the investigations is expected to be out next week.

On Friday, President Uhuru Kenyatta accused Raila of inciting Kenyans to violence ahead of the August 8, 2017 General Election.

The President argued that Raila was treading on the same path he followed when ethnic violence occurred after the December 2007 elections.

The President, who spoke at Sigor, Bomet County, said Raila was using the same statements he used previously and which might harm the unity existing between different communities in the country.

“Yesterday, he was talking about ‘wenye inchi and wenye wanafaa kurudi kwao’ (those who own the land and those who should return to where they came) and that is the same language he used to create conflict the last time,” said the President.

But in a quick rejoinder, Raila dismissed claims by the President that he has been inciting Kenyans to violence.

In a statement, Raila said that remarks he made on Thursday, June 15, 2017, were taken out of context saying that he was only discouraging Kajiado residents from selling their ancestral land.

Speaking in Bomet County on Friday, the President criticized Raila for allegedly inciting Kenyans on land matters.

“Raila Odinga is deeply disappointed by President Uhuru’s Kenyatta’s adoption of politics of rumours and scaremongering for survival in the face of stiff challenges arising from the disappointment of the people of Kenya with the Jubilee administration,” said Raila in the statement sent through his aide, Dennis Onyango.

“In the latest incident, the President has, out of the blues, accused Mr. Odinga of asking communities to return to their ancestral lands. Mr. Odinga has made no such utterances.The diversity of Mr. Odinga’s support base alone militate against him making such utterances. The President’s remarks are therefore far-fetched and smacks of desperation.”

He added: “Under pressure, President Kenyatta is creating imaginary scenarios and enemies and proceeding to respond to them. Mr. Odinga finds such gasps of outrage rather hollow and unfortunate particularly coming from the President whose office is supposed to embody unity and certainty in the nation.”