Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has expressed shock and concern over speeches delivered by President William Ruto’s allies during the burial of National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula's mother in Kabuchai, Bungoma County.
In a statement on Friday, January 3, Sifuna opined that if Ruto listens to such leaders, he could be in more trouble than he knows.
"I have been shocked beyond words by some of the speeches here in Bungoma County. If those who spoke are the people he listens to, Ruto is in more trouble than he knows. Freedom of speech cannot be limited beyond the limitations in Article 33," he said.
Sifuna condemned the speeches, calling them a violation of constitutional freedoms and a reflection of the flawed policies of the current administration.
"Even that Computer Misuse law those ignorant leaders have cited is unconstitutional. Social media is not the problem. The problem is the policies of this regime that continue to hurt Kenyans. We have started the year on a very bad note," he added.
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During the burial, Senate Speaker Amason Kingi hit out at government critics, noting that while citizens are allowed to criticise the government, it has limits.
He stated that certain criticisms, which he only described as "getting personal", warrant an arrest, and called on law enforcement forces to make arrests of people making such criticisms.
"Democracy and lack of discipline are two different things. Any citizen has the right to criticize the government but those rights have limitations and if you cross those boundaries, action must be taken against you. You can criticize this government and its policies but you cannot get personal.
"And to those whom we have given the mandate of enforcing these laws, we have enough laws to deal with the lack of discipline that we are currently seeing. [Kimani] Ichung'wah has spoken about the 'computer misuse' law which states that if you criticize or insult someone there is a law that will deal with you. Please let us enforce those laws to bring about discipline in this country," he said.
Notably, during the same event, Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya and Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung'wah clashed over the cases of abductions in the country.
While delivering his speech, Ichung'wah accused Natembeya of incitement and asked him to assist the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in solving the abduction cases if he had any knowledge of the abductors.
“It is not to say that there are no abductions. Abductions are there. Governor Natembeya, if you know the abductors, you are an officer and you have been a regional commissioner. Give information to the DCI for them to investigate.
“I want to ask you, Governor Natembeya, you were a regional commissioner the other day when people were abducted and killed in Kerio Valley. So at that time, you did not know Kenyans’ lives were valuable? Let me tell you today in broad daylight, the politics you are doing of dividing Kenyans on tribal lines and incitement, you will not succeed. Shame on you!” he remarked.
