Cord told to back operation
What you need to know:
- Mumias politician Martin Oloo called upon the leaders to swallow their pride and back efforts by the government to curb insecurity
- Mumias Anglican Church of Kenya Bishop Beneah Salala said lives of Kenyans were at stake and told leaders to support government efforts to restore order
Cord Coalition leaders have been accused of negating gains made by the government in the war against terrorism and criminal activities in parts of the country.
A section of leaders from Kakamega County dismissed calls by Cord leaders including Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula and acting party leader Anyang Nyong’o to have the ongoing security operation by the government halted immediately.
Speaking at the funeral of former Malava ODM sub-branch chairman Musavin Nambwa at Tombo primary school at the weekend, Mr Wetangula mocked the government crackdown on terror suspects and criminal elements saying the real cause of the escalating insecurity in the country was known.
However, Mumias politician Martin Oloo called upon the leaders to swallow their pride and back efforts by the government to curb insecurity.
“It is not wise to put a religious or ethnic tag on the ongoing crackdown. The government has the responsibility to guarantee Kenyans security.”
Speaking at his home-coming party at Buhuru, Mr Oloo said the government had to resolve and take action in a bid to contain insecurity. “There might be slight use of force but that cannot defeat the purpose of the operation,” he said.
SUPPORT GOVERNMENT EFFORTS
Earlier, Mumias Anglican Church of Kenya Bishop Beneah Salala said lives of Kenyans were at stake and told leaders to support government efforts to restore order. “Leaders must look at the bigger picture and stop drawing politics into such an important exercise,” said the cleric.
The Cord leaders claimed that the crackdown targeted a particular community and must be stopped.
At the same time, Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo yesterday defended Homa Bay Senator Otieno Kajwang’ against attacks for the high number of people lacking identification cards.
He said most politicians only blamed the former Immigration Minister yet they did not mobilise their own constituents to take IDs and register as voters.
“What have we done as MPs in our small way at the constituency to bring more people to be registered as voters?” Mr Gumbo asked.
The legislator said registration of persons was the only way to beat the tyranny of numbers that other regions boast of. He was speaking during a boat racing competition at Kamin Oningo beach in Siaya County at the weekend.
