Keep off Maasai land issues, Kajiado Jubilee leaders tell Raila

From left: Kajiado Jubilee governorship candidate Joseph ole Lenku, Nairobi County Assembly Speaker Alex ole Magelo and Philip Mpaayei (Senate candidate) during a meeting at Iloodokilani on June 19, 2017 where they told ODM leader Raila Odinga to keep off the region’s land matters. PHOTO | JOSEPH NGUNJIRI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Mr Lenku claimed, both Mr Odinga and by extension the ODM governorship candidate in Kajiado, have sensed defeat.
  • On Thursday last week Mr Odinga appeared to tell Non-Maasais to keep off land in Kajiado.

Jubilee leaders from Kajiado County have asked Nasa leader Raila Odinga to keep off land matters in the county.

The leaders were addressing a public rally Monday in Mile 46, Iloodokilani, the same venue where Mr Odinga made his controversial statement on land in the county last week.

Led by former Interior Minister Joseph ole Lenku who is vying for the county’s governorship on a Jubilee ticket, the leaders took issue with Mr Odinga’s remarks last Thursday, saying they have the effect of sowing seeds of discord between the Maasai and other communities living in the county.

KAJIADO PEACEFUL

“Kajiado is one of the most peaceful counties in Kenya. We have coexisted peacefully with people who have bought property here even when other places were burning. We do not need the kind of politics Raila is trying to introduce in Kajiado,” said Mr Ole Lenku.

The former minister said the people of Kajiado are determined to elect their leaders peacefully.

“We shall not be divided along tribal or religious lines and we will not be incited to fight with our neighbours,” added Mr Lenku.

By making such comments, Mr Lenku claimed, both Mr Odinga and by extension the ODM governorship candidate in Kajiado, have sensed defeat.

“Let them fade away quietly and leave the people of Kajiado to live in peace.

“Jubilee stands for inclusivity and peaceful co-existence of all communities living in Kajiado.

“We sell development, which can only be achieved when people co-exist peacefully irrespective of their tribal or religious backgrounds,” said Mr Ole Lenku.

“We have come here to campaign but most importantly to tell the people of Iloodokilani to disregard what was said here five days ago,” said Mr Ole Lenku. “No one will be chased out of Kajiado County.”

LAND RIGHTS

Other leaders who accompanied Mr Lenku included Nairobi County Assembly Speaker Alex ole Magelo, former Kajiado Central MP David Sankori, Kajiado County Assembly Deputy Speaker George Sunkuyia, Kajiado Jubilee senatorial candidate Phillip Mpaayei and a host of MCA candidates.

Mr Ole Magelo told off Mr Odinga for purporting to lecture the people of Kajiado on land rights.

“We are not small children. We know land rights more than you,” he said.

He wondered what land rights the opposition leader was talking about that James Orengo did not rectify when he was Land minister.

OLE KORES

Mr Ole Magelo noted that while in Iloodokilani last week, Mr Odinga identified the mismanagement of the Kenya Meat Commission (KMC) as being one the causes of poverty in Kajiado County yet the person he was receiving into Nasa, Taraiya ole Kores, was the one heading the institution.

“Is that the kind of leadership he wants to hoist on us?” asked Mr Ole Magelo.

Mr Sankori said no land has been forcefully taken from the Maasai people.

“The people who bought land here did so legally and should not be threatened by anyone. They have as much right to live here as anyone else,” he said.

HYPOCRITICAL

On his part, Mr Sunkuyia said it was hypocritical for Mr Odinga to ask non-Maasais to keep off land in Kajiado adding that one of the ODM leader’s relatives bought land in Kajiado “on a willing-buyer-willing-seller basis just like the other people”.

"He is not honest when he tells non-Maasais to keep off,” said Mr Sunkuyia, the Jubilee candidate for Kajiado West.

On Thursday last week Mr Odinga appeared to tell Non-Maasais to keep off land in Kajiado.

He was speaking in Iloodokilani when he received former KMC chairman Taraiya ole Kores to Nasa.

Mr Kores lost in the Jubilee Party nominations to Mr Lenku but later claimed that he was rigged out.