UHUR TELLS LEADERS TO APOLOGIZE

By OLIVER MUSEMBI and ODHIAMBO ORLALE
Daily Nation
Nairobi, Kenya
September 21 2008

Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and four MPs from Central Province want leaders who claimed that last year’s presidential elections were rigged at the KICC to apologise to the country.

Those behind the allegation, which led to the killing of at least 1,200 people and displacement of thousands of others, owe Kenyans an apology, they said.

The leaders, who included Cabinet minister Esther Murugi, said the Kriegler report did not show any evidence of rigging at KICC as alleged by some politicians.

Innocent blood

“Why were people killed and their property destroyed? Those behind the false claims which caused the shedding of innocent blood have to answer this question before Kenyans and God,” said Mr Kenyatta at Kangari in Murang’a South.

He said it was unfortunate that “people calling themselves leaders lied to the world that the election was stolen”. These leaders should accept liability for the pain and loss the country suffered as a result of these “irresponsible claims”, he charged.

The Kriegler team dismissed allegations that the rigging of the presidential results took place at KICC where the Electoral Commission had its tally centre.

Mr Kenyatta’s sentiments were echoed by PNU MPs, Ms Murugi, Mr Jamlek Kamau (Kigumo) and Mr Elias Mbau (Maragua) who said those behind the rigging claims should be held accountable.

Mr Kamau had kicked off the debate when he said the ODM leadership should be called to account for the post-election violence following the Kriegler Commission’s verdict which ruled out any deliberate rigging of the presidential poll.

At the same time, ODM was Sunday asked to accept the Kriegler report.

PNU supported the findings and recommendations of the commission saying their rivals, despite being the principal complainant, failed to make any case in support of their rigging allegations.

Said the statement: “Kibaki won fairly. The findings are that all the allegations by ODM that the election was stolen by PNU, particularly at KICC, are baseless and cannot be substantiated.”

PNU maintained that President Kibaki was the victim as per findings by the Kriegler team.

Meanwhile, Cabinet minister Martha Karua took her campaign for the 2012 presidency to Mr Kenyatta’s turf and declared she would soldier on despite criticism by MPs from the region.

“I will continue marching on as my vehicle has no reverse gear,” she declared at Thika municipal stadium.

None of the MPs from Thika and Gatundu districts attended.