ODM leader Raila Odinga yesterday said the fight against graft is not targeted at any community telling off politicians who have come out to defend corruption suspects from their communities.
Raila who was in Kangoya PCEA church, Kiambu county yesterday to support the children development centre programme, condemned leaders saying that it was only one community being profiled over corruption cases and insisted it was individual cases.
"The fight against corruption will continue and I support President Uhuru Kenyatta over this and those leaders saying that it was only one community being targeted they should know that those implicated were not unemployed work for the community and everybody should carry their own cross," Raila said.
The former Prime Minister said that he will join Uhuru in rejecting MPs proposals to increase their salaries saying that if they do he will lead in taking them to the public court.
"I support the president's stand to reject MPs increment of their salaries because if it is passed it will lead to the teachers, public service, police, and other workers to push for salary increments. Where will the money come from apart from burdening the common mwananchi?" he said.
Raila was accompanied by MPs Anthony Olouch (Mathare), James Nyikal (Seme), Tom Odege (Nyatike), former MP Wavinya Ndeti, former Kiambu woman representative Annah Nyokabi, ODM secretary general Edwin Sifuna, former Eala MP Mumbai Ngaru and businessman Jimi Wanjigi among other leaders.
The leaders hailed the handshake between Raila and Uhuru saying the building bridges initiative was working and should be supported to bring Kenyans together.
Raila's statement comes after two Rift Valley leaders said the war against corruption is majorly designed to target the Kalenjin community.
Nandi senator Samson Cherargei and Aldai MP Cornely Serem said that the war on graft was being used to target Kalenjins and aimed at sabotaging Deputy President William Ruto's presidential ambitions ahead of the 2022 polls.
The two legislators said that the war had been clearly schemed to taint the Kalenjin community and Ruto as thieves.
"Kalenjins are not thieves and neither is DP Ruto. We will resist the targeting of our sons in the war on graft," Cherargei said.
Serem said the Director of Criminal Investigation George Kinoti and Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji should not be used to advance political agendas ahead of 2022.
"Let them work independently and stop targeting civil servants from Rift Valley," Cherargei said.
Serem said the hidden agenda in the war on graft was to ensure that Ruto does not succeed Uhuru.
They said Ruto's 2022 plans are unstoppable.
Cheranganyi MP Joshua Kuttuny has insisted that parastatal chiefs from the Kalenjin community linked to graft should carry their own cross.
Kuttuny who has become the chief critic of the DP said also said the war on graft should not be linked to 2022 politics or claims that it was being used to undermine DP William Ruto.
He dismissed as baseless claims that allies of DP Ruto from the Kalenjin community were being targeted in the war on graft noting that the problems at National Cereals and Produce Board had affected farmers yet it was headed mostly by people from Rift Valley.
"The farmers who are suffering are also Kalenjins and yet some of these leaders are not coming out to speak for the farmers yet they are loud in defending individuals," said Kuttuny.
"They steal resources from Kenyans and use it on their own. They never invite Kalenjins to get a share of the stolen resources. We urge the DCI and DPP to tighten the noose on anyone linked to corruption without relenting."
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