Just a day after Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi was heckled as he attempted to read President William Ruto’s speech at the burial of former Embu Senator’s son Lenny Kivuti, Senior Presidential Economic Council advisor Moses Kuria has hit back at the residents.
In a statement issued on Saturday, January 3, Kuria lashed out at those who refused to grant CS Muturi the chance to deliver the president’s message, terming the act as ‘ungodly’.
The heckling took place at the burial, attended by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and a number of his allied legislators.
According to Kuria, it was wrong and against the culture of the people of Mt Kenya region to refuse messages of condolences even from their ‘worst enemy’.
Senior State House Advisor Moses Kuria during the Government Delivery Services event in Lower Kabete, Nairobi.
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Moses Kuria
”In our culture, we never refuse condolences, even from our worst enemies. Messages are read publicly for the comfort of the bereaved family. It’s the reason prayers are held in public, including prayers for the family. Otherwise, the clergy would retreat with the family and pray in privacy,” Kuria stated.
Additionally, the politician turned technocrat has asked the former Senator to come out and issue a statement disassociating his family from the heckling.
”I expect Senator Leny Kivuti to disassociate with this ungodly act. You do not have to like the president, but is it his right to condole with the family?” he added.
Kuria was responding to the earlier incident that happened on Friday when Muturi took to the podium to deliver President Ruto’s condolence message amid jeers and heckling from the audience.
Embu County has been a beehive of simmering political tensions following the abduction of a young activist Billy Mwangi.
On December 27, business and transport operations in Embu Town were paralysed on Friday, December 27, after massive demonstrations erupted over the alleged abduction of the social media influencer.
Pictures and videos obtained by Kenyans.co.ke showed the residents holding placards, blowing whistles, and shouting as they protested over Billy’s abduction. Billy was allegedly kidnapped on Saturday, December 21, at a barbershop in Embu.
The protests come after Manyatta Member of Parliament (MP) Gitonga Mukunji led leaders from Embu in demanding the release of Billy condemning State organs for using extrajudicial means in the name of upholding the rule of law.
A collage of the protests happening in Embu on Friday, December 27, 2024.
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Canva