In response to the claims by Inspector-General of Police Japhet Koome that Opposition Chief Raila Odinga had hired dead bodies to pose as victims of police brutality during protests, Mr Odinga denied the allegations and stated that the move was “unfortunate and regrettable”.
The Inspector-General of Police had alleged that Raila Odinga and his party had employed a cartel that was accused of recruiting people, including fake victims from Mahiaga village in Kisumu County, to pose as victims of police brutality during the protests. According to Mr Koome, the recruited people were to be paid Ksh400 each.
In response, the Opposition Chief from the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party dismissed the claims as malicious and unfounded and noted that it was an attempt at discrediting his party by the government. Odinga further stated that the accusations were false, baseless and devoid of facts. He went on to state that the effects of such accusations were so far-reaching that they could destroy the integrity of a political movement. He expressed that such allegations were damaging in such a way as to make people lose faith in the party and its leader.
He also noted that its leadership did not condone lawlessness and declared that any violent action by any of its members was unlawful and malicious. He further stated that the ODM had time and again unequivocally condemned the acts of police brutality and extrajudicial killings and called on its members to always exercise restraint when holding protests and demonstrations.
Furthermore, Odinga called on the Inspector-General and other police officers to take up responsibility for some of the criminal activities that their service has been linked to and to face the consequences of such. He reiterated that those who commit any acts of violence must be punished and held accountable in accordance with the laws of the country.
Ultimately, Odinga assured the public that his party’s leadership was committed to peaceful protests as a means of pushing for social justice and the well-being of the people. He concluded by asserting that claims of influencing, hiring and coercing people to stage violent protests by his party or any of its leaders and members were false and unfounded.
Source: https://l.kphx.net/s?d=3698767604208685819&extra=
by: your-udaku-mate