Korogocho MCA Absalom Onyango arrested over Kamukunji rally utterances

By , K24 Digital
On Mon, 30 Jan, 2023 14:46 | 2 mins read
Korogocho MCA Absalom Onyango arrested over Kamukunji rally utterances
Korogocho Ward Representative Absalom Odhiambo Onyango. PHOTO/Courtesy

Korogocho Ward Representative Absalom Odhiambo Onyango has been arrested over allegations of incitement to violence.

Onyango was arrested on Monday, January 30, 2023, shortly after honouring summons by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC).

The Nairobi Member of County Assembly (MCA) had been summoned by the NCIC over remarks made during an Azimio la Umoja - One Kenya coalition rally at the Kamukunji Grounds on Monday, January 23, 2023.

In a statement on Monday, NCIC Chairperson Samuel Kobia confirmed that the MCA honoured the summons and was thereafter handed over to detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) for further action.

"Today the Korogocho MCA Hon. Absalom Odhiambo Onyango honoured summons by @NCIC_Kenya whereupon he was arrested and handed over to @DCI_Kenya Nairobi area for further action," NCIC said in a tweet on Monday.

Onyango was captured in a viral video inciting Azimio supporters to stage protests in the capital in a bid to force out President William Ruto's Kenya Kwanza administration over alleged electoral fraud.

Kobia said Onyango invoked ethnic hatred while inciting Kenyans to violence at the highly charged rally attended by opposition leader Raila Odinga.

Kobia urged leaders to shun ethnic politics which may upset the current state of peace and plunge the country into chaos.

“As a Commission, we applaud all Kenyans and political actors for following due processes to ensure that the country remained peaceful despite the electoral outcome,” he said.

“We call upon all leaders to stop actions and rhetoric that can trigger violence. For if unchecked violence started in one place will be repeated in another and the whole country will burn before long. In such an event, nobody wins and all of us lose.”

He further called on members of the public to accord President Ruto “respect and honour,” reiterating his role as a symbol of national unity.

“We wish to remind Kenyans that the President who is also Head of State is the symbol of national unity. Consequently, any actions that undermine the presidency will not only damage the national cohesion but will also injure peace and unity among Kenyans,” Kobia added.

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