The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader, Raila Odinga, met Meru Senator Mithika Linuturi on Wednesday, January 12 during the funeral service for the seven people who were killed over grazing land conflict on January 7.
The two leaders saw each other face-to-face for the first time since the Senator was charged with hate speech for utterances he made during a political rally at the Eldoret Sports Club on Saturday, January 8.
Linturi walked in as the former Prime Minister was addressing the mourners. Raila was forced to cut short his speech and weigh in on the 'madoadoa' remarks that were allegedly made by Linturi.
Raila told him that every Kenyan has a right to live where they please and no one should be evicted because of their tribe or political inclination.
"Welcome Senator, welcome Senator," Raila stated as Linturi walked towards his seat. "I have seen that your Senator has arrived and before he speaks, I would like to tell him to avoid inflammatory remarks.
"There is no 'madoadoa' in our country. Is that not so? Every Kenyan has a right to stay anywhere they please because this is our country," remarked the ODM boss.
On Sunday, January 9, the former Prime Minister castigated Linturi and explained that his statement risked returning the country into the dark days.
While addressing a congregation at St John’s ACK Church Mwimuto in Kabete where he had attended a service, Raila argued that the remarks threatened to divide the country as it geared towards a high-peak campaign season.
“We cannot continue profiling people as 'kwe kwe' (weeds) and 'madoadoa'. We cannot afford to go back where we came from.
“Let everybody be allowed to live and do business in any part of the country without discrimination based on tribe, colour, religion, gender, or age. Every Kenyan allowed to live in any part of the country without seeking permission from anybody,” the ODM leader asserted.
Below is the video.
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