Stop intimidating us, CORD leaders now tell Jubilee Sunday, June 22nd 2014 The Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) will not be cowed by threats nor will its leadership be intimidated by accusations of engaging in hate speech, Opposition leader Raila Odinga has said. The coalition has faulted the Government over the targeting of its leaders to record statements with the police on allegations of propagating hatred. Raila insisted Saturday that the call for national dialogue is urgent. “I want to tell the Jubilee Government that even if we are jailed, we are not turning back. No amount of intimidation or threats from Government would make CORD cede ground on the push for national dialogue,” he said. MYOPIC POLITICS The former Prime Minister said his political wing was reaching out to the Government and those misinterpreting their call for talks as threats were way off the mark. Speaking at a CORD rally at Muliro Gardens Saturday, Raila said any arrest of leaders on claims that they were propagating hate speech will not cure the current insecurity, corruption and negative ethnicity facing Kenyans. “I have heard they have arrested George Aladwa over claims of hate speech. They have also asked other leaders to record statements. The arrest of Aladwa will not help anyone,” he said. He said the days when the Government of the day used to intimidate opposition leaders were long gone. “We have passed that stage where leaders used to be arrested for speaking out their mind,” he said. “The Constitution allows us to offer checks and balances to the sitting Government because it has failed to address the plight of Kenyans.” “Threats and issuance of caution to Government are two very different notions. We are not threatening the Government but all we are doing is issuing caution that if some serious discussions are not held about the lives of Kenyans, things will continue going off the rails,” he said. The former premier took on critics over his recent remarks, accusing them of malice and playing cheap and myopic politics. “Nilisema ukiona jirani akinyolewa, tia chako maji. Mimi sikutisha Rais Uhuru. Hiyo ni methali tu, kusema Uhuru afanye halahala. (I said when you see your neighbour being shaved, prepare yourself, I did not threaten President Uhuru. I only implied that he should act faster,” Raila explained. “If anything, in our culture, you cannot be allowed to shave the head of your younger brother.” CORD co-principal and Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula termed the hate-listing as a case of living in the past and an infringement of constitutional right to the freedom of expression.
Posted on: Sun, 22 Jun 2014 07:54:17 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015