Human
Rights activist Maina Kiai has sensationally accused State House of
being behind acts of intimidation targeted at him and witnesses in the
ongoing cases at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Addressing
a press conference in Nairobi, Mr Kiai accused a “well known
hate-blogger” employed at State House of being behind an incident in
which a militia group stormed his family’s rural home in Nyeri county on
Friday threatening to burn it down.
"Early this
morning, direct threats against my family have resulted in the presence
of armed police and dogs at my mother’s homestead in Nyeri. I’ve been
informed by the police that a militia calling itself the “Nyaribo
Support Group” intends to burn the family homestead and my house in
Nyeri today,” said a visibly shaken Mr Kiai.
Mr Kiai
who was flanked by fellow activists John Githongo, Wainaina Ndung’u and
Davindar Lamba said the militia was acting on a blog that claimed that
he is one of the prosecution witnesses in the case facing President
Uhuru Kenyatta at the ICC.
Reports on the social media
this week alleged that Mr Kiai was already in The Hague ready to testify
against President Kenyatta whose trial commences on November 12.
“This
dangerous and destructive approach is directly fuelled by well-known
hate bloggers – including those who are now staff at State House, right
at the heart of the Presidency. They are well known for their lies, hate
speech and libel,” he stated.
BLOGGERS
“They
should never have been hired in the first place. They are leading
attacks from State House, despite their nefarious history and work. It
leads us to the irresistible conclusion that the President himself
acquiesces to these attacks against Kenyan citizens and the
constitution,” he went on.
“We will hold him personally
and criminally liable should anything happen to my family, to me, or to
any other human rights defenders or activists who are simply defending
the constitution and basic human rights,” he concluded.
Mr
Kiai decried what he called a sustained campaign of intimidation being
waged out by social media bloggers targeting Kenyans perceived as
witnesses in the cases at the ICC.
“Witnesses at the
ICC are being vilified, threatened and exposed. And people are being
exposed as witnesses, when they are not – as with Rahab Muthoni Kagiri,”
he stated.
“It is not treason and it is not criminal
to provide evidence to the ICC. Lets call them for what they are,
witnesses, in this environment, are truly brave heroes for their nation
and for justice. It is a mark of the highest courage and patriotism for
anyone to give evidence in the fight against impunity,” he stated.
No comments:
Post a Comment