Kenya's Most Authoritative Political Newspaper

Citizen Weekly

Sunday 11 January 2015

WHY UHURU, RUTO SKIPPED BONDO BURIAL

A last minute change of programme that could have seen President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto attend the burial of Fidel Odinga was changed after intelligence reports revealed that the two leaders would have met  hostile reception.
Acting on intelligence reports, the two leaders hurriedly cancelled the planned trip to Bondo and sources say they dispatched a message to inform Raila Odinga of their decision not to attend the funeral.
As per late Friday, word had it that Uhuru and Ruto were to attend the burial of Fidel as chief mourners. But come the D-day, Uhuru was nowhere to be seen neither Ruto was there but instead Defence secretary Raychelle Omamo was dispatched to represent the government at the funeral.
Inside sources told Weekly Citizen, Omamo received a call from the Secretary to the Cabinet Francis Kimemia instructing her to represent the president.
First, it was on ground that she comes from Bondo and two, she is a senior government officer from the region hence her reception was thought to have been cordial but to the contrary, she was heckled throughout her speech. There is no love lost between the Odinga’s and the Omamo’s since during the Moi regime, William Omamo, Raychelle’s father was used by Moi regime to oust Jaramogi Odinga from politics in Bondo.
Heckling forced Raila to leave his seat to cool down the mourners who could not listen to her. Sources within the government have revealed that Jubilee luminaries including Uhuru and Ruto decided to skip the function after following the events at Jomo Kenyatta Sports Ground in Kisumu,  where it is said to whip public sympathy following Fidel’s death, a third force was to be blamed.
Cord politicians started blames that Fidel’s death was not natural. It also emerged that Jubilee was not happy with the way Raila treated Ruto at the memorial mass at All Saints Cathedral where he recognised Uhuru’s presence but never mentioned Ruto.
To make matters worse, there are claims that a section of government officials in an effort to divert attention from Fidel’s death were instrumental in leaking sensitive information to a section of the press that firearms were discovered in Fidel’s house and even a brief case containing close to Sh100 million in both foreign and local currencies were discovered.
Fidel was a billionaire who had made his wealth during the Kibaki era when he was the main supplier of bitumen for the construction of the Thika Super Highway.
Fidel’s brother Raila Odinga Jnr said that Fidel was a licenced fire arm holder. The arms info leak by detectives to the press was suspect according to Cord. James Orengo also took issue with the report.
According to the detectives, they retrieved three rifles, a pistol, about 2,000 bullets and a flak jacket at the Bel Air Country Homes residence in the upmarket Karen suburb. A licensed gun holder in Kenya is allowed to have no more than 15 bullets the idea being that even if he goes berserk, he will kill only 15 people. Again, only a pistol and not AK47 rifles is allowed.
Now, there are rumours that Fidel probably supplied arms to the rebels in Southern Sudan led by Riak Machar who is said to be supported by the family of the late president John Garang. Garang’s son who is reportedly designated to become Machar’s vice president if they topple Salva Kiir was at the fundraiser for Fidel Odinga Foundation.
At the funeral, Lands cabinet secretary Charity Ngilu and TNA chairman Johnson Sakajja had rough time addressing the crowd. UDF party leader Musalia Mudavadi was cheered when he said: “I have worked with Raila before and there is no reason why I should not work with him again,” amid applause.

No comments:

Post a Comment