• The Council said it stands ready on behalf of the Muslim community to work with all Kenyans of good conscience to address these and other challenges.
• Seventeen suspects have been arrested over the incident.
Image: RAILA ODINGA/TWITTER
The Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims has on Saturday condemned the stoning of Azimio la Umoja presidential candidate Raila Odinga's chopper at Kabenes.
The incident happened after the burial of Mzee Kibor in Uasin Gishu.
In a statement, the Council said that these acts of violence are unacceptable and condemned the perpetrators in the strongest terms possible.
"As the council condemns these actions and joins with our fellow Kenyans in calling for tolerance and peace during this electioneering period, we also call upon the political players to shun all forms of toxic language and rhetoric that is likely to inflame passions," the Council said.
"We are saddened and alarmed by the growing antagonism between various competing political formations and if history is anything to learn from, we would know that the kind of political volatility is the same that hurtled our country to the brink of the precipice in 2007/2008."
The Council said it stands ready on behalf of the Muslim community to work with all Kenyans of good conscience to address these and other challenges.
"But first, as a country, we must act on the desire of the people and do as we have always done to conduct our political affairs in a peaceful manner."
Seventeen suspects have so far been arrested over the incident.
Uasin Gishu County Commissioner Stephen Kihara said those arrested have given information on how the incident took place.
He added that key political leaders in the region have been linked to planning the incident.
Following the incident, Deputy President William Ruto has said the United Democratic Alliance will disqualify any aspirants who will be found to have involvement in the attack on Raila's chopper.
Speaking at his Karen office on Saturday, Ruto insisted that UDA and all parties under the Kenya Kwanza alliance believe in a peaceful and progressive Kenya.
"I have instructed the party to work with the police so that we can get to the root of what happened yesterday in Eldoret," he said.
"And if any of our party candidates were involved in the violence that was meted against Hon. Raila Odinga, we are going to take disciplinary action against them."