Oburu Odinga. Photo: thenairobitimes.com
Nominated Member of Parliament Oburu Odinga has questioned why the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has not taken action against President Uhuru Kenyatta over his remarks in Turkana recently.
Oburu said the Commission lead by former speaker Francis Ole Kaparo was applying the law selectively.
“When you go to Turkana and abuse the people including calling them stupid… what Uhuru said was actually hate speech. And then Kaparo stands up and says excuse the president because he was annoyed,” he said.
“When we speak and we are charged in court with hate speech, we also talk with a lot of annoyance that’s why we say what we say and then people are taken to court. But the words of Uhuru Kenyatta are taken very lightly by Kaparo,” he added, as reported by Citizen.
The older brother to ODM leader Raila Odinga was speaking during the installation of Siaya Governor Cornel Rasanga as a Luo elder at Boro Primary School grounds in Alego/Usonga Constituency on Saturday.The lawmaker said the Ole Kaparo led commission was not independent in its work.
Uhuru angrily engaged in an altercation with Turkana Governor Josephat Nanok during his recent tour of Turkana County.
This remarks elicited mixed reactions among Kenyans, with most slamming him for the abusive statements.
“The Head of State should know that even under pressure, the presidency must not be seen to be using force to make policy. He cannot look helpless in the face of fighting the looting of public coffers but look animated in fighting citizens, doctors who are pursuing a legitimate concern,” said human rights activist Cyprian Nyamwamu.
ODM secretary for Political Affairs Opiyo Wandayi said Uhuru’s anger display is proof that he and Deputy President William Ruto were never ready for the presidency.