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By:
Nzau Musau | |||||||||
| Posted:
Dec,12-2015 20:09:16
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Tough talk against corruption, a spirited defense of Eurobond and a twin talk-down of the press and Opposition were the hallmarks of President Uhuru Kenyatta's speech at the 52nd Jamhuri Day celebrations yesterday.
Through the speech delivered at a time his government has taken a beating over corruption, the President tightened the noose around Opposition leader Raila Odinga by insisting that he must substantiate his Eurobond theft claims.
In his first ever address on the matter since it flared, the President said the sword of justice will cut both ways for those who accuse his government unfairly and those who commit the actual corruption.
"Ours was one of the best issues ever on the African continent. It was oversubscribed. Yet some of us contrived to talk it down, undermining the credibility of our institutions, and investor confidence in our country," the President said in apparent reference to Raila's stated position that money from the Eurobond had been stolen.
"Yes, I agree that those entrusted with public positions must be held to account. If found guilty the maximum punishment must be meted out. But the sword of justice cuts both ways. If you make accusations and fail to prove them, you will also be held accountable," the President said.
Raila has said he will not honour summons by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to substantiate his claims that money from the Eurobond had been diverted to people's pockets.
Opposition figures immediately took issue with the President's pronouncement on Eurobond while government supporters hyped it. The crux of Opposition’s objection was that the President missed the point. They said he was also pointing fingers instead of doing what a responsible government ought to do.
"That Eurobond was raised properly and was oversubscribed is not the issue. The issue is how the proceeds were appropriated and spent in the interests of Kenyans. If his government can provide answers on the spending, this matter would rest," said ODM Director of Elections Junet Mohamed.
Chairman of National Assembly's Justice and Legal Affairs Committee Samuel Chepkonga (Ainabkoi) supported President Kenyatta's resolve to hold Raila to account on Eurobond claims. He said the former Prime Minister will be hauled before EACC if he fails to appear before it.
False witness
"If EACC fails to do its job, then as a Parliament we will deal with them. We don't expect an institution charged with fighting graft to apply the law selectively. All Kenyans are equal before the law. We are asking the EACC not to be intimidated," said Chepkonga.
Mohamed, however, said Jubilee was taking the joke too far: "Raila is an institution. They might just be seeing him as a person. He is bigger than that. They should look for a better way of engaging the party leader."
In his speech, President Kenyatta also put the media on notice that his government will not tolerate publication of allegations "merely because they were uttered by a politician". Those who bear false witness, he said, will be held responsible. Other than the Eurobond matter, the media has come under sharp criticism over the manner it reported claims of extrajudicial killings in North Eastern earlier in the week. What was reported as "mass graves" turned into "a grave" after only one body was discovered. His new standard, the President said, is to see those who rob Kenyans of their hard-earned money prosecuted, their ill-gotten gains frozen and jail terms handed out. No Kenyan, regardless of his position, will be spared of this standard, he added. "We will win because we have heard you. We will win because all patriotic Kenyans, no matter their political persuasion, are disgusted by corruption. And we will win because we Kenyans have demonstrated time and again that no fight is too difficult for us," he said. In the celebrations largely boycotted by key Opposition figures, the President announced that Sh2.24 billion of corruptly-acquired money and property has been recovered. He did not state when, where, how and from whom. He also revealed that foreign accounts holding Sh200million of Anglo Leasing loot have been frozen. United approach "It doesn't matter what is acquired with the proceeds of corruption; ultimately, all will be forfeited," the President said.
He echoed the words of Pope Francis in his recent visit to Kenya that corruption kills. Uhuru said corruption is corrosive and has brought Kenya "destructive ethnic politics which associate public office with the accumulation of wealth".
He said he tried to create an environment that resists dishonest and unethical practices in his government and almost fell short of sighting betrayal on the part of other office holders.
"I have used my office to concentrate the attention of the nation on this menace. I have taken strong action. We have intensified our efforts to recover stolen money," he said.
He challenged the Judiciary to conclude all 337 cases -- 68 involving senior Kenyans --ithout undue delay. The President also challenged the Opposition to oppose his government with maturity. He said the media must be constructive in its reporting. "If you support me, support me in a mature way. If you oppose me, oppose me in a mature way. After all, you may be in my position one day --that's democracy," he said.
In a further teardown of the Opposition, Uhuru complained of people who had refused to recognise the good things his government had done. He said the same forces had refused to acknowledge his plea for a united approach on national issues.
"There are still some among us whose entire political existence is based on resisting our will to move forward as a nation. I urge every Kenyan to reject their calls for negative politics, hatred, finger-pointing and manipulation, and to reject their desire to ignore the facts of the solid achievements we have made since the peaceful elections in 2013, and certainly since becoming a Republic in 1964," he said. He promised that devolution will be strengthened and that he would do all within his power to protect Kenyans from terrorists. | |||||||||
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