President William Ruto’s advisor on
Constitutional Affairs, Makau Mutua, has criticised some Kitui leaders who
failed to attend Mashujaa Day celebrations held at Ithookwe Stadium.
In a statement on Tuesday, Mutua described
their absence as a missed opportunity to unite with residents and honour
national heroes.
He said all senior leaders from Kitui, regardless
of their political affiliations, should have attended the event to join Ruto in
celebrating the day and paying tribute to former Prime Minister Raila Odinga,
whom he said “loved Kitui and visited often.”
“All the senior Kitui leaders, including those on the
side opposite, ought to have attended the Mashujaa Day celebrations at Ithookwe
Stadium… to join President William Ruto in honouring the Rt Hon Raila, who loved
Kitui and visited often,” he said.
Mutua dismissed claims by some leaders that they
were not invited to the event, saying it was “lame” for them to use that as an
excuse.
“It is strange for one to cry that they weren’t
invited into their own home,” he said, adding that Kitui may
have to wait another 46 years before hosting the national celebrations again.
Mutua described Ithookwe Stadium as “the most
immaculate of all county stadia,” noting that the celebrations drew “mammoth
crowds” from across the region.
He urged leaders to rise above political
divisions and avoid turning national occasions into platforms for “scoring
cheap political points.”
“It’s a lost chance for them to greet their own
people. Sad!” he added.
The Mashujaa Day celebrations, held on Monday,
October 20, were presided over by President Ruto and attended by foreign
dignitaries, top government officials, including Cabinet Secretaries.
Earlier on, during an interview with NTV, Kitui Senator
Enock Wambua claimed he was not invited to the event.
"It is not by accident that I did not find myself
there. It is a conscious decision that I made,” he said.
He explained that he asked his people to excuse him
from the celebrations, adding that the response was "unanimous".
Wambua wondered what role he was going to be playing
at the event, saying he would have expected consultations before the event.
"To date, I have not received any invitation. I
am an elected senator. I can be identified. It is courtesy to invite people to
an event," he claimed.
Wambua added that previously, he had received
invitations during other national holiday celebrations.
Asked how he expected to be invited to his home, Wambua
said it was not his event.
"What is up with telling the area Senator that we
are coming to your county? This was not a county government event but a
national event," he said.
