Coalition for Reforms and Democracy leader Raila Odinga has defended Machakos Senator Johnston Muthama over hate speech claims.
The Cord leader said Muthama was only stating the truth and not hate speech as claimed by the police and the office of the Director of Public Prosecutor.
“Muthama only said the truth when he said two tribes have ruled Kenya since independence while other tribes have not been given the opportunity and he repeated the same in Kisii and Busia. What is wrong in what he said?” posed Mr Odinga.
Raila stated that the allegations being leveled against Muthama was a bigger plot by the Jubilee government to use police to intimidate the opposition, case in point being police brutality witnessed during the peaceful demonstrations against the electoral commission where protesters were teargassed and shot at by the police.
“We have been harassed on numerous occasions. We will soldier one with our fight for democracy and reforms,” said Mr Odinga.
The Cord leader later referred to the arrest of the opposition leaders alongside three jubilee lawmakers and the manner in which ‘his’ people were treated from the time they were arrested to the four days the spent in the cells.
He defended his leaders saying they were only reacting to inciting statements made by Jubilee leaders.
“Somebody said I should be killed and people will mourn for two weeks and forget about me. Opposition leaders were just irked by the statements from their counterparts and they reacted in a good manner yet they were arrested,” Mr Odinga.
He added that together with former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, he was barred by police from visiting their colleagues.
Mr Odinga was speaking in Bonde Primary School, Kisumu during installation of Mzee Zablon Omoso Wasonga as the Luo Council of Elder Chairman Seme Sub-county.