Ministers dismiss 'reckless' Kamatusa meeting

Four ministers have dismissed the Tuesday meeting of Kalenjin, Maasai, Turkana and Samburu communities(Kamatusa) as “reckless and ineffective.’

Road minister Franklin Bett, Sally Kosgei (Agriculture), Margaret Kamar (Higher Education) and Home Affairs assistant minister Beatrice Kones distanced themselves from the resolution that was arrived at during the meeting held in Eldoret in which Eldoret North MP William Ruto was endorsed as the de facto Kalenjin leader.

Dr Kosgei also hit out at a similar meeting convened by the Gikuyu Embu, Meru Association (Gema). She said the two gatherings had the impact of alienating other communities and only focusing on a few, a move that could worsen tribal relations in the country.

“If you have lived in the Rift Valley for as long as I have, you will agree that people from all communities live here.

"Why then would anyone select a few tribal groups and leave out the rest? We must not be reckless at the manner in which we handle our communities,” she said.

Noting that she was part of the Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka-led shuttle diplomacy that tried but failed to persuade the UN Security council to defer the post election violence cases, she urged those aggrieved with the court’s decision to find better ways of showing their disagreement.

“I also sympathise with the Kenyans facing the cases at the court, but we should not approach the ICC with a siege mentality or threats. That will not help. The only way to deal with is through the legal channels available,” said Dr Kosgei.

Mr Bett said the politicization of The Hague process was not helping the accused and instead called on all Kenyans to pray for the four who are facing cases at the court, including Mr Ruto and Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta.

“Only prayers can save them from the ICC. If we all pray and believe, they will be set free. However, if we play too much politics with the ICC, the situation for the suspects could get worse,” he said.

Meanwhile, the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) said it had no powers to ban ethnic groupings spearheaded by politicians.

NCIC chairman Mzalendo Kibunjia said it was in the hands of President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga to rise up and say no to groupings such as Kamatusa and Gema.

He asked Kenyans to stand up and say no to such associations which, he said, were aimed at alienating other Kenyans.

“It is not good that a group of people come together to alienate and wrestle power from other Kenyans. We have to stop it now.

"The Council of Elders should be at the forefront of uniting Kenyans and creating peace and engaging in constructive talks that push for inclusivity, diversity and tolerance and nothing else,” said Dr Kibunjia.