By KT Team
The Orange Democratic Movement Secretariat has taken the war against hate mongers a notch higher by petitioning the National Cohesion and Integration Commission to investigate The Star Columnist and politician Ngunjiri Wambugu on allegations of spreading hatred against the Party and its leadership camouflaged as opinions.
A copy of the petition in our possession questions the writings of Mr. Wambugu which seeks to besmirch and portray the Cord Leader as reckless power hungry politicians who does not believe in the rule of law.
The Party demands action taken against Mr. Wambugu who has made it his business to consistently write about one particular leader and his supporters by invoking feelings of contempt.
The petition signed by the ODM Secretariat Legal Officer Mr. Tony Moturi, was delivered to the National Cohesion and Integration Commission yesterday.
Here is a copy of the letter:
15th June, 2016
Mr Hassan S. Mohammed, OGW,
Commission Secretary,
National Cohesion & Integration Commission,
KMA Centre, 6th Floor Mara Road,
Upper Hill,
P.O.Box 7055-00100,
NAIROBI.
Dear Sir,
RE: INCITEFUL ARTICLES BY ONE NGUNJIRI WAMBUGU
Our attention has been drawn to a series of articles appearing in The Star newspaper of varied dates authored by one Ngunjiri Wambugu.
On 11th April 2016, Mr. Ngunjiri Wambugu in an article titled, “Cord Will Fall Before 2017” stated and I quote, “….Jubilee needs to win in the first round if it is to ensure that the opposition does not instigate political violence….”
In the same article, he avers that …”the opposition cannot win the 2017 elections. They can stop Jubilee from winning in the first round, instigate political violence as we head into the runoff and force a coalition government.”
On 25th April 2016, in an article titled “Why we can’t ‘Just Get Along’” he writes “….The 2017 general election is around the corner. Cord has started beating the tribal war drums. The new political narrative is ’40 against 2.’
On 16th May 2016, in article titled, “Raila is Dead Wrong on IEBC” he argues “….Like he did in 2007, he has been marshalling his followers to go to the streets to force the issue (of IEBC)…”
On 13th June 2016, in an article titled “Raila is Machar” he wrote, “…. Raila will continue to try and make Kenya ungovernable. He will do whatever is required to undermine Kenya’s Constitution and independent institutions, and create chaos on the streets. He must instigate anarchy so that he proves that Kenya cannot be run by a government ‘from one side’. ”
In particular, the articles target the person of the Right Honourable Raila Odinga, members of a specific community and political grouping.
It is suspicious why a writer would make it his business to consistently write about one particular leader and his supporters by portraying them negatively in the eyes of another political divide or group of Kenyans while instilling fear, hatred and invoking feelings of ethnic contempt.
It is worth to note that South Sudan Vice President Dr. Riek Machar is popularly known worldwide as having been involved in a civil war with President Salva Kiir before a political settlement was brokered early this year thus by equating the Right Honourable Raila Odinga to him, the writer is inciting a group of Kenyans to prepare for an imagined likelihood of a civil war.
It is our considered opinion that Mr. Ngunjiri Wambugu using his weekly colum in The Star is on a treacherous mission intended to inflame feelings of contempt, hatred, hostility, violence against the Right Honourable Raila Odinga, his supporters and members of a specific community on the basis of their brand of politics and therefore constitute an offence under Section 62 of the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) Act.
Mr. Ngunjiri Wambugu in his writings sets out to besmirch and portray the Right Honourable Raila Odinga as a reckless power hungry politician who does not believe in the rule of law and is ready to do anything including burning the country in order to ascend to power.
The Commission should also take cognizance of the fact that the media and by a large extent journalists and writers were majorly blamed for the unfortunate violence that rocked the nation in 2007/2008. It thus behooves the Commission to rise to the occasion and curtail such prophets of doom and ethnic inciters like Ngunjiri Wambugu to safeguard the hard earned and always elusive national unity.
Through this petition, we urge you to exercise your mandate under the NCIC Act to investigate the articles authored by Mr. Ngunjiri Wambugu and make the necessary recommendations to the Director of Public Prosecution with a view to bring Mr. Ngunjiri Wambugu to account for his impulsive writings.
We look forward to an expeditious action in this regard.
Yours Faithfully,
T M
HEAD LEGAL AFFAIRS & PARLIAMENTARY LIAISON
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