Nakuru Governor Kinuthia Mbugua has said that opposition leader Raila Odinga is free to hold meetings in the county on condition that they involve people of all ethnic backgrounds.
In a press release sent to newsrooms on Tuesday morning, Kinuthia said that the leader should also take measures to ensure that their meetings are devoid of violence and destruction of public property.
“Let Cord and it's leadership hear, memorise and internalise this fact. No one will be allowed to interfere with our long standing cohesion,” said Mr Mbugua.
He also challenged the opposition to preach peace among the people of Kenya.
“If you want to hold a meeting in Nakuru you are free as democracy and the constitution says, but we will not allow you to meet with only one community and talk in a language only you can understand. If you want to meet people of Nakuru, meet all of them. We are a multi-ethnic county, a cosmopolitan place that must be addressed as such. Tribal meetings in select areas will be stopped because we value peace and unity of our people,” said Kinuthia.
Kinuthia accused Cord of misleading Kenyans on the information they gave in their press conferences.
“They recently claimed that the Administration Police under my watch was used to rig the 2007 elections. I need not comment on such recklessness remarks as both the Kriegler and Waki commissions rejected the idea. The ICC even threw out the Ballots to Bullets Report by civil society describing it as a collection of rumours that cannot sustain any evidence based prosecution,” he added.
The final nod by the county boss has released what was earlier perceived as tension brought by politics of intolerance and it will be a welcome idea among the Cord faithfuls in the county.