Opposition leader Raila Odinga with President Uhuru Kenyatta at Ntakira Methodist Church in Meru. [Photo/ PSCU]
President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition leader Raila Odinga on Saturday shared a podium at the late David Mwiraria's funeral service.
The ceremony was held at the Ntarika Methodist Church in Meru County.
Speaking during the burial ceremony, President Kenyatta said the late former Finance Minister should be cleared of any wrong doing in the Anglo-leasing scandal now that there is consensus that he was innocent.
The President urged all those who had condemned him before to come out in the open and state clearly “it was all politics”, and that Mwiraria was not involved in the scam in which Kenya lost billions of shillings.
“Let us all put pressure on the investigative agencies to fully investigate Anglo Leasing, arrest and charge the real culprits. If people had not played politics, Mwiraria would not have been prosecuted and probably he would be alive today,” President Kenyatta said.
He challenged Opposition leader Raila Odinga – who was present – and others to come forward and clearly state Mwiraria’s innocence.
Meru Senator Kiraitu Murungi called for an amendment to the law to ensure that social media is not used as a tool of character assassination.
He noted that Mwiraria was an honest son of Kenya who made a significant contribution to the transformation of the country’s economy, but lamented that his name was being soiled on social media.
“We believe in the freedom of speech, but social media should not be used to abuse or taint the names of other people,” Senator Kiraitu said.
Meru Governor Peter Munya said Mwiraria was a hard working public servant and called on the independent investigation institutions to do their job thoroughly and bring to book the real culprits behind the Anglo Leasing scandal.
“I have never met a politician as humble and honest as Mwiraria,” Governor Munya said.
Speaking during the service, Mr Odinga said it was a pity that Mwiraria has died before being cleared of the “dragon of Anglo Leasing”.
“Investigations should be carried out and his name should be cleared posthumously of this demon,” the Opposition leader said.
Bungoma Senator Moses wetangula said the Kenyan law allows one to be cleared of any wrong doing posthumously.
President Kenyatta paid glowing tribute to Mwiraria, eulogising him as a great leader who was not biased or tribal.
He said Mwiraria was an “all-inclusive” public servant and accepted Kenyans for what they are.
“Mwiraria was a great son of the land whose service and contribution have made Kenya the great country that it is today,” President Kenyatta said.
The President added: “We should begin to praise and say good things about people before they die. This way, they will feel appreciated.”
Odinga and Wetangula called for peace during the electioneering period, saying “we do not have a spare country” and said the elections should be about ideas and not physical confrontation.
Other speakers were local MP Rahim Dawood and Meru Women Rep Florence Kajuju.