National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah was on Friday, March 27, heckled by a section of the crowd while addressing residents during a public event attended by President William Ruto in Juja.
Ichung’wah had accompanied the Head of State on a visit to the area when he was given an opportunity to speak.
However, moments into his address, sections of the audience began loudly heckling him, interrupting his speech.
Despite the hostile reception, the Kikuyu MP stood his ground and continued addressing the crowd, speaking over the jeers.
In an apparent attempt to downplay the reaction from the crowd, Ichung’wah urged residents to focus on development and unity, insisting that political tensions would eventually ease.
“I told you when we were in Kikuyu that this politics will calm down because politics is about struggle, and we will fight just like you fought. Even here in Kiambu, we will talk to everyone, and each person will be judged by their work,” he said.
This comes a week after Ichung’wah called out Archbishop Maurice Muhatia of the Kisumu Catholic Archdiocese for his reaction to Ruto’s recent outbursts.
Ruto, during his working tour of Western Kenya, unleashed a harsh offensive against the opposition leaders, whom he accused of having provoked him in their political rallies.
He went for the jugular against opposition principals, saying they had abused him for far too long.
In response, Muhatia, while speaking in Machakos on Friday, March 20, noted that the head of state erred and was displaying a decline in the sobriety needed among leaders.
“We call upon political leaders to exercise restraint. The children and you people listening to you are shocked and traumatised because you show a collapse of the aspiration for leadership. The adults listening to you are embarrassed. You are a poor representation of our generation, and we are struggling to identify with you.
“When you publicly insult each other in front of citizens, you don’t just disrespect each other; you disrespect the citizens as well. This country belongs to more than 50 million Kenyans and not only to yourselves,” Muhatia said.
Clapping back, Ichung’wah said the clergy was being selective in their judgement.
While speaking in Siaya on Saturday, March 21, he wondered why those putting up thinkpieces after the president’s reaction were quiet when the opposition politicians were insulting the head of state.
Ichung’wah said Ruto’s opponents hurl insults at him while in churches, but no condemnation emerges, only after the president has answered back.
“I want to tell Archbishop Muhatia that indeed, we as Christians are more embarrassed than our religious leaders and our bishops can preside over the trading of insults in churches.
“I want to ask you, Muhatia, please make sure that your altar in the Catholic church is not used to sell division and hatred. Stop your selective judgment, and you are not being fair to Kenyans,” Ichung’wah said.
