US reacts to alleged threats on Kenya MPs - Obama administration wants the Kenya government to take threats seriously
June 20th, 2009
By JOY WANJA
Alleged death threats against four sitting MPs alongside four other politicians have attracted international attention, with the US Government Friday terming it unacceptable for State House to dismiss them as out of hand.
Through its Embassy in Nairobi, the US Government said the Kenyan Government should act ‘responsibly and transparently’ in dealing with the reports.
“They should be fully and credibly investigated and if found credible, those involved should be held accountable,” a statement from the Embassy said.
The statement came shortly after Mr Imanyara and Ikolomani MP Dr Bonny Khalwale convened a press conference where they announced their plans to write to the United Nations Security Council next week to inform it of the threats.
The two MPs whose names appear among those allegedly targeted for assassination were irked by the reaction from State House to the allegations, noting that a more serious response had been expected.
“No responsible Kenyan would treat the letter lightly. We would have imagined that State House would have ordered investigations rather than deny the reports in an outburst,” said Mr Imanyara.
During the Thursday session of Parliament this week, the MP rose to alert the House of a chilling letter he had received naming four MPs allegedly targeted for assassination by key personalities in Government and State House.
The writer, a police officer, claimed an 18-member hit squad comprising members of the Kwekwe squad had been assigned an assassination mission targeting Mr Imanyara, Dr Khalwale, former cabinet minister Martha Karua, Embakasi MP Ferdinand Waititu, former MPs Paul Muite and G.G. Kariuki, political activist Mary Wambui and Mr Charles Kamau.
The handwritten letter dated June 10 is claimed the kill orders come from the first family - claiming first Lady Lucy Kibaki, Environment Minister John Michuki, Head of Civil Service Francis Muthaura and the Police Commissioner Maj Ali Hussein.
The US Government in its statement said it was deeply concerned about the alleged threats and was closely following the situation and expects credible action to be taken. “These threats must be taken seriously by the Kenyan Government,” it said.
State House has, however, already dismissed the letter as Mr Imanyara’s creation describing him as a reckless politician crying out loud for reasons known to himself.
In a statement from the Presidential Press Service on Thursday evening, State House termed the letter cheap propaganda by Mr Imanyara accusing him of making callous statements against the First Family.
Mr Imanyara on Friday said Ms Karua and Mr Muite were not in exile but on an official mission in Washington and would be back over the weekend to give their positions on the same.
He claimed Dr Khalwale and Mr Waititu had also received a similar letter addressed to them.
Addressing journalists at Parliament Buildings, Mr Imanyara and Dr Khalwale the threats to the positions they have taken on various issues of governance in and outside Parliament.
Mr Imanyara revealed that he had already informed the US Secretary of State in charge of African Affairs of the letter he tabled in Parliament and the matter was being taken seriously, unlike the Kenya Government.
Mr Imanyara said he would not report the threats to police as he had no faith in them, given their response to his report to Parliament.
“Should it happen to me, all should know that my murder was planned and executed by the Government of Kenya despite its denials,” the MP said.
In its statement, the US Government said the latest threats come at a time of considerable intimidation and threats against civil society and human rights activists.
The threats, it said, also occur at a time when the UN Special Rapporteur Prof Philip Alston has called attention to the reality of extrajudicial killings in Kenya and at a time when the international community has urged action to stop extrajudicial killings.
source.nation.ke