Murang’a Senator Irungu Kang’ata wants security agents to be fair and stop being misused when handling issues associated with a section of politicians from Mount Kenya region, who have been perceived to hold a contrary opinion.
He stated that it has since emerged that police among other security officers were not fair especially when handling cases associated with some of the dissenting leaders.
Kang’ata spoke at a time he is being investigated by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) over City Hall corruption deals.
The Senator said he has been threatened after he wrote a letter to the President complaining about the unpopularity of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) in the Central region.
He claimed that in the recent past, leaders who are criticizing the government were being handled with contempt by security officers.
“Criminal justice systems including EACC should not be used to manage politics. Persuasion and free expression of thoughts should reign supreme,” he added.
Kang’ata said recent arrests of some politicians from the Central region has occasioned unpopularity of the government in the larger Mount Kenya region.
He reflected that when chaos was witnessed at Kenol town last October, during a visit by Deputy President Dr. Willian Ruto, only some selected leaders were summoned by the security officers to record statements.
“The leaders who were summoned by security officers were found innocent. That revealed how the security officers were biased in handling a section of leaders from the region,” he noted.
The Senator who is the Senate Majority Chief Whip said he has been threatened with loss of his coveted seat if he continued to criticize the government.
“My letter to the President whom I respect very much about BBI was the truth and I will continue saying the truth. I am happy the President has heeded to my call for matters affecting coffee and tea and to be dealt with,” he said during public participation on proposed coffee Bill 2020 at Kandara grounds on Saturday.
But responding to Kanga’ata, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya told him to have a stand and stop attacking the government he was part of.
“My friend senator needs to be strong and avoid throwing stones at the same government he served. The proposed reforms in the agricultural sector started a long time ago but not because of the letter written by Kang’ata,” added Munya.
The CS told Members of Parliament that if they want to help their people, they should pass the proposed Bill so farmers could benefit from proposed changes.
During the occasion, local leaders led by Kandara MP Alice Wahome and Murang’a County Women Representative Sabina Chege vowed to support the reforms saying they would ensure farmers benefit more from their cash crops.
by Bernard Munyao