Midiwo insists killing plot true

Government chief whip Jakoyo Midiwo has insisted the statement he made about an assassination plot against Prime Minister Raila Odinga is true.

Mr Midiwo, who arrived on Sunday night after being out of the country for the past two weeks, accused the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Mr Keriako Tobiko, of being insincere and arrogant in issuing a warrant of arrest against him.

The Gem MP has been on the spot after he claimed at a funeral in Bondo on April 7 that there was a plot to kill the PM.

Mr Midiwo linked Foreign Affairs minister Sam Ongeri to the plot before recording a statement with the police on April 10 at the CID headquarters in Nairobi.

Prof Ongeri denied the claims, saying they were outrageous and threatened to take legal action against the Gem lawmaker.

The Foreign Affairs minister had his statement taken by officers investigating the matter.

Also questioned by police were Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Eldoret North MP William Ruto.

According to police, these politicians were not being treated as suspects but because they had been mentioned by Mr Midiwo.

Finance minister Njeru Githae also recorded a statement with the police.

The leaders have since denied the plot, accusing the Gem MP of misleading Kenyans and seeking sympathy from the public.

On April 24, a Nairobi court issued a warrant of arrest against Mr Midiwo days after the DPP recommended he be prosecuted for allegedly giving false information.

However, the MP got a reprieve after getting a court order barring his arrest.

Speaking to journalists in Kisumu on Monday, Mr Midiwo challenged the DPP to prove which part of his statement was false to warrant his arrest, saying he stood by his statement.

“I want Tobiko to tell Kenyans which part of my statement is false and to make public the statements of the people I named,” said Mr Midiwo.

He said that he looked at the file Mr Tobiko presented to court and wondered why it was only his statements that had been included yet there were other people who were questioned and recorded statements about the assassination claim.

He said the PM had been provided with 60 additional police officers to enhance his security since he made the revelation.

Mr Midiwo called on police not to be used by politicians for selfish reasons, saying they had a duty to protect lives.

“As long as there are police officers in this country, the life of the Prime Minister should and will be protected,” he said.

He revealed how his silence had led to the death of University of Nairobi lecturer Chrispin Odhiambo Mbai in 2009 and vowed not repeat the same mistake.

“Mbai revealed that he would be killed and I remained silent. I am not going to repeat the same mistake,” said Mr Midiwo.