The leader of the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) charged at a mass funeral service in Kisii that Kenyatta’s administration was vengeful and unlikely to help heal a country still smarting from a divisive General Election.
“Let us not push others, entrench tribalism or discriminate against others because of politics of yesterday,” Raila told an approving crowd, which had earlier rejected attempts by a Cabinet Secretary to deliver Uhuru’s condolence message.
“This government is showing a wounded leadership,” he told hundreds of mourners who thronged Gusii Stadium to pay their last respects to 11 students and four teachers who perished following a road accident involving a school bus two weeks ago.
Citing the teachers’ stalemate with government over allowances, Raila said it was wrong for the Jubilee Administration to have taken teachers’ representatives to court yet they had resolved the matter and agreed to return to work.
“If it’s hatred, I am the most wronged person but we need patience to move ahead as a country,” charged Raila, who lost to Uhuru in a closely-fought presidential election in March.
Angry mourners blocked attempts to read Kenyatta’s condolence message as the mass funeral service turned into a political duel between CORD and Jubilee.
The President was expected, along with Raila, to attend the service for 15 victims of a school bus tragedy in Kisii but called off the trip at the last minute. It was left to Cabinet Secretary for ICT, Dr Fred Matiang’i, to deliver the President’s message to a hostile crowd at Gusii Stadium, which had earlier humiliated another Jubilee leader, former Cabinet minister Sam Ongeri.
Speaking in Gusii amid chaotic scenes, Matiang’i repeatedly pleaded for a chance to deliver the President’s message. But the crowd became even more charged and shouted him down. After failing to read even a word, he handed the speech to Governor James Ongwae before taking his seat.
Ongeri walked out of the stadium after he was interrupted.
In contrast, Raila — who arrived at the stadium donning his trademark fedora hat — was received with jubilant chanting.
“Baba amewasili, karibu baba (Our father is here, let’s welcome him),” announced the public address system, completely changing the mood of the occasion.
Earlier, Raila was received at Suneka airstrip by a delegation of local CORD officials led Kisii Senator Chris Obure and his nominated counterpart Janet Ong’era backed by a host of members of the county assembly.
The former PM’s motorcade made its way to Kisii Town where they had lunch before proceeding to the stadium temporarily bringing the service to a halt.
Tents under which the remains of the deceased were placed almost came down as Raila paid his last respects with a large mass of humanity behind him.
At the stadium, the crowd in their thousands kept surging forward demanding that Raila address them as others before him spoke.
Signs that all would not be well for Jubilee became evident when Kisii deputy Governor Joash Maangi invited former Cabinet minister Sam Ongeri to offer his condolences before elected MPs could speak.
Pandemonium broke out, forcing Ongeri to read a verse from the Bible (Romans 15:12) urging them to allow him to mourn with those who were mourning. But this made the crowd only more agitated, forcing him to yield and retreat to his seat while loudly protesting at the move by the mourners.
Raila, Obure and Governor Ongwae, his Nyamira counterpart John Nyagarama watched without intervening over the humiliation.
President Kenyatta was expected to grace the well-attended inter-denominational requiem service but his visit was cancelled at the last minute. A statement from Presidential Strategic Communication Unit said high-ranking government officials would represent him.
So when Matiang’i rose and attempted to deliver his message the gathering raised their voices drowning his speech and waving him away.
Despite being a gifted speaker, Matiang’i failed convince the crowd to accord him even a minute to read out the President’s message.
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