Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua on Wednesday issued a statement where he decided to convey part of it in Kikuyu.
During the joint press conference with Nyeri Governor Edward Mutahi Kahiga, the county heads put up a united front against recent actions that would stir tribal animosity between the Kikuyu and Kamba communities.
"We strongly condemn utterances and actions that have been recently undertaken that perpetuate tribalism and hatred among the Kamba and Kikuyu community. These actions and utterances are despicable and contrary to law and order and the hallmarks of a civilized society," Mutua stated.
[caption caption="Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua and Nyeri Governor Edward Mutahi Kahiga"]
[/caption]
In a clip obtained by Kenyans.co.ke, the Machakos Governor goes the extra mile to reach across to the Kikuyu community by reading out a scripted statement.
He stated that the Nyeri county boss had requested him to speak to his people (Kikuyu) of which he obliged.
Clearly straining to ensure his intonation was precise, he stated: "Kambas and Kikuyus are inlaws. We have existed harmoniously, socially and economically. The two communities are historically known for peace and nothing is impossible if they work together," he stated in Kikuyu.
Following his speech, he acknowledged that his pronunciation was comical accepting that people could laugh at his mistakes.
On his part, Governor Kahiga admitted that he knew a little Kamba and gave a cocktail of Kiswahili and a little of the native language.
"As leaders representing all the people of Kenya, we should champion for peace. People should hold dialogue to enhance cohesion among communities," he reiterated.
Mutua disclosed that the Council of Governors had set up a team to mitigate the feud between Kitui and Kiambu county.
Here is the video:
[video:]
He added that it was not fair to blame the charcoal trade on one community adding that the controversial Kikuyu hate song mocking the Kamba community was taking the country backward in terms of maintaining peace.
"In the same vein, the architects of a hate song targeting a community is not only evil but unacceptable. The Kamba and Kikuyu communities are not only neighbors but they are literally brothers and sisters drawn from the same ancestors," Mutua stated.
[caption caption="Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua and Nyeri Governor Edward Mutahi Kahiga"]
[/caption]
