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Magara Offers An Olive Branch
- Details
- Published on Sunday, 22 July 2007 23:53
The Ford Kenya MP said although he and his younger brother Titus were injured in the chaos, it was time people forgot their differences to foster peace and togetherness.
"My main focus now is to seek reconciliation and start a healing process for my people. I urge my constituents, including my political enemies, to rise above the wounds, mental and physical harm inflicted by politicians on hire from outside South Mugirango. Let us foster a spirit of harmony and reconciliation," Mr. Magara said.
Addressing his first news conference since his election, Mr. Magara singled out two Kanu members for criticism, saying they were among those who instigated the violence.
One of them was accused of having bankrolled the hooligans who attacked the MP-elect and his younger brother on election day.
Mr. Magara, whose right hand was heavily bandaged, was discharged from the Aga Khan Hospital last week after undergoing a second operation on the hand. Soon after the attack, the Magaras were admitted to the Tabaka Mission Hospital, Kisii, but were later transferred to Nairobi.
The South Mugirango seat fell vacant following the death of Mr. Magara's elder brother Enock Nyankieya in a road accident last October.
Yesterday, the 38-year-old Magara, who was accompanied by six MPs, accused one of the Kanu officials of dishonesty, saying he had started the violence "only to turn back and pretend he had himself been attacked".
The MPs at the conference included Ford Kenya's Henry Obwocha, Mr. James Orengo, Dr Mukhisa Kituyi and Mr. Jimmy Angwenyi of Kanu. Also present were Alfred Nderitu (DP) and Beth Mugo (SDP).
Mr. Magara said his party would sue an Assistant Minister and a Kanu activist for allegedly assaulting presiding officers at Riosiri polling station on voting day. He would also sue a party branch chairman for allegedly being behind the assault on him and his brother.
"It is shocking that in spite of all these incidents of violence, the police have not taken action against the perpetrators. However, I still express the hope that the Government will bring the culprits to justice," Mr. Magara said.
He pledged to work with all his constituents regardless of their political affiliation "and join other Kenyans in the struggle for good governance and positive political change in the country".
"I have been given a seal to move forward and no threats or intimidation will force me to veer off this path. My brother died because of his fight for truth and justice and I vow to follow in his footsteps," he said.
He thanked his constituents for standing by him and "emerging victorious over forces of dictatorship and institutionalised terror." However, the MP-elect said he was still not able to travel to his constituency to meet his people, because he was still under close medical supervision.
Mr. Magara and Mr. Obwocha condemned the Electoral Commission for allegedly abetting electoral malpractices and rigging during the January 12 by-election.
The EC was told to take responsibility for "certain glaring malpractices which were calculated to compromising the integrity of the electoral process.
The MP listed in his statement, a number of malpractices which he said were done to ensure Kanu won, among them intimidation of voters and party agents by the General Service Unit and other security agencies and Kanu activists.
Mr. Obwocha told Kenyans to struggle to ensure independence of the Electoral Commission, saying if allowed to continue, "the country will never have a free and fair electoral system."
The West Mugirango MP called for the arrest of 'outsiders' who perpetrated violence in South Mugirango, and thanked the area people "for standing firm to show Kenyans the new direction the country the nation should go despite all the intimidation."
Mrs Mugo, the Dagoretti MP, called on the International Federation of Women Lawyers to prosecute on behalf of Mrs Lilian Mogendi,the Riosiri presiding officer who was assaulted by Kanu leaders.
"We now fear that the violence subjected to female candidates will now spread to female electoral workers," Mrs Mugo said.
