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Leaders protest at war arrests
Daily Nation
Story by LUKE KAPCHANGA and NOAH CHEPLOEN
03. March 2008
Cabinet minister Moses Wetang’ula wants the youths arrested on the
farm of former Saboti MP Davis Nakitare while allegedly undergoing
illegal military training released.
The minister termed the issue as a “private matter” and said the
over 200 youths should be set free unconditionally.
“Mr Nakitare has been the defender of the community and whatever
was taking place in his farm was a private affair,” he said.
Ford-Kenya chairman Musikari Kombo and Kimilili MP David Simiyu
accused the police of harassing Mr Nakitare’s farm workers.
The leaders who were speaking at Bokoli in Webuye constituency
cautioned the Government against detaining the youths who they
said were innocent.
“Nakitare keeps wild animals in his park as a tourist attraction;
the people found in the farm were just his employees,” Mr Kombo
said.
The former Local Government minister said if there was any
training, then the youths were being trained as rangers to guard
the farm.
Dr Simiyu said arresting the youths amounted to intimidation and
harassment of the community.
Former Kanduyi MP Wafula Wamunyinyi warned that they would not
turn a blind eye when leaders from other communities suspected of
funding the clashes are being let to go scot-free.
Elsewhere, Rift Valley Province MPs have called for fresh
investigations into the post-election violence saying the previous
investigations were biased.
Get back to their farms
The MPs also want the Government to release those in police
custody as part of national healing and reconciliation process.
The ODM legislators who included Musa Sirma (nominated), Peris
Simam (Eldoret South), Joshua Kutuny (Cherangany and Lorna Laboso
(Sotik) were speaking at Muserechi in Eldama Ravine constituency
where a Catholic priest Michael Kamau was killed at the peak of
the violence in January.
“The violence was not planned, it was everywhere. We want our
people to get back to their farms. We are not protecting criminals,
but those who are innocent must be released,” said Mr Kutuny.
Area MP Moses Lessonet said fresh investigations should be
launched now that normalcy has returned to the country.
The legislators said the violence was spontaneous and residents
were protesting over long standing injustices sparked by the
flawed presidential election.
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