You are on your own, government tells Jaguar after incitement remarks

The government has distanced itself from remarks made by Starehe MP Charles Kanyi, alias Jaguar, against foreigners doing business in the country.

The State in a statement on Wednesday said Jaguar's "unfortunate exploitation of the freedom of free speech to dehumanise foreign communities and incite local constituents undermines the welcoming culture that Kenya is reputed for, and has to be condemned".

Jaguar was captured in a video that has since gone viral telling foreigners engaging in business within the CBD which is his constituency to shut down and vacate the country failure to which they will be forcefully removed.

Jaguar is expected to present himself to Parliament police station.

The MP, flanked by his supporters, had threatened to invade the premises of  foreigners, rough them up and take them to the airport where Interior department and Immigration would deport them.

But Foreign Affairs PS Macharia Kamau said Kenya deeply regrets the careless and inciteful language in public utterances made by Member of Parliament.

He  said such aggressive and ill-tempered language goes against the spirit of Kenya’s welcoming ethos, as well as the progressive nature of the Constitution of our Republic.

"The Government of Kenya wishes to categorically distance itself from Hon. Charles Njagua’s reckless and unneighbourly statements," he said.

He added, "We wish to take this opportunity to reassure all foreign nationals living and working in Kenya of their personal safety and also offer a firm guarantee of the security of their investments in Kenya".

Juma said Kenya in turn expects that all her neighbours and the international community at large will continue to welcome Kenyans around the world, where their valuable contributions and entrepreneurial spirit continues to be a source of pride for all Kenyans.

"The Laws that govern Kenya’s conduct as a member of the international community have been upheld and embraced over many decades since our country gained its independence," Kamau  said in the statement.

According to him,  the established institutions that safeguard these laws affirm Kenya’s firmly held belief in the importance of free movement of people, goods and services, and our ceaseless championing of the East African Community and the African Continental Free Trade Area is a living testament to this.

His statement comes in even as the police launch investigations to ascertain the circumstances under which the MP made the remarks.

Government spokesman Cyrus Oguna said mitigating measures have since been instituted against the remarks.