Nkaissery warns Raila, Kalonzo over coast land debate

Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery has warned politicians to avoid inciting Kenyans as they campaign for various elective seats ahead of next year’s polls.

The government, he warned, will start monitoring politicians at every rally they attend and address Kenyans.

He promised to work with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to bar such politicians from participating in any elections.

“We want our leaders to address each other with respect in rallies. We want you to sell your manifesto, ideas but not hate an inflammatory rhetoric. Let us avoid inciting others so that this country remains peaceful,” Mr Nkaissery said.

Mr Nkaissery at the same time warned the Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka to stop inciting Kenyans with lies of land grabbing at the coast.

“The Issue of always telling the Coast people that their land has been stolen should stop. Don’t come here and incite Kenyans, tell them the truth that this or this person took land from so and so,” he said.

“You have been in government for so long, why didn’t you return these parcels of land to the rightful owners when you were in power? Stop politicking with the land to gain political mileage,” the CS said.

Mr Nkaissery said this when he officially kicked off a 15-day registration exercise of the Makonde Community in Kwale county on Tuesday.

The exercise follows President Uhuru Kenyatta’s intervention in October 13 after about 300 members of the community trekked to State House Nairobi from Makongeni in Kwale County demanding that they be recognized as Kenyans.

The CS while officially launching the registration exercise said he will ensure that all the members of the Makonde Community will be registered by November 10.

“Once registered, we want to have the residents to also register as voters ahead of the coming General Election,” the CS said.

Mr Nkaissery assured the Makonde Community of every right and freedom enjoyed by all Kenyans.

“ Now that you are Kenyan Citizens from today, please enjoy free education, bursaries for those in high schools, employment, you will vote whoever you want, access bank loans and many other things that Kenyans get,” he added.

He asked the Makonde community to be patriotic and loyal as Kenyans while at the same time warning the youths to stop killing the aged in the name of witchcraft.

Civil Registration Services Director Joyce Mugo said the government was ready to ensure that members of the Makonde Community get IDs. She also called on women to ensure that all births are registered to ease the application on identity cards and even immigration documents.

National Registration Bureau director Mr Reuben Kimotho said they will work even on the weekends to ensure that they finish with the registration for citizenship, identification cards and birth certificates for the Makonde people.

“When the Makonde Community walked to Nairobi, they came with one message and that was they want identification cards. We want to assure you that we will process the cards for the Makonde and other communities in the coast that lack IDs,” Mr Kimotho said.