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Violence Was Sponsored By State, Claims Langa'ta MP

The Nation (Nairobi)
NEWS
December 18, 2006
Posted to the web December 18, 2006
Nairobi
Lang'ata MP Raila Odinga yesterday described the violence as State terror aimed
at creating fear among Kibera residents ahead of next year's General Election.
He accused a Cabinet minister and the police of complicity in the violence.
Langata MP Raila Odinga addresses Kibera residents after yesterday's violence.
The MP said the police had gone to Kibera to stop a rally by political activist
Ndura Waruinge, but they set on "the wrong people".
Instead of using tear gas and rubber bullets, he claimed, they unleashed live
ammunition on by-standers, killing at least three people.
"Why did the police not arrest any of the supporters of Mr Waruinge who were
fleeing from the scene of the meeting? I have been informed that the whole plan
was organised at high levels in the Government," Mr Odinga said.
Abortive rally
He was speaking at Masaba Hospital when he visited the the injured.
The MP claimed he had information indicating the minister was among those who
planned the abortive rally organised by Mr Waruinge, the former Mungiki leader.
He claimed that he saw police officers remove one of the dead bodies from the
railway line while in possession of seven spent cartridges.
"It's unfortunate that the one behind the rally, Mr Waruinge, went scot free,
which only underscores the fact that he has State protection," said the
Lang'ata MP.
Mr Odinga, who was accompanied by MPs Orwa Ojodeh and William Omondi, said Mr
Waruinge had the right to campaign in Lang'ata, but he should promote peace in
the area.
"He cannot come to Lang'ata breathing fire and brimstone and expect to get the
support of the people," said Mr Odinga. He asked Kibera residents to be calm
and desist from chaos.
Mr Odinga, who displayed spent cartridges, asked President Kibaki to comment on
the violence, saying the buck stopped with him. "We are asking the President
what crime have these innocent slum residents committed to be shot dead by the
police?" the Lang'ata MP posed.
At the same time, Mr Odinga accused Mr Waruinge of having a sinister motive.
Had godfathers
Mr Odinga accused Mr Waruinge of being law unto himself "because he had
godfathers in Government".
"Mr Waruinge told some people that he fears no one because he has been cleared
from the very top," he said.


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