Kenya’s Justice Minister Martha Karua has accused the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) of carrying out a systematic ethnic cleansing. However, ODM leader Raila Odinga responded back by blaming the government for targeting certain communities and saying it has done it could to prevent violence.
The claims of ethnic cleansing were sparked by inter-tribal violence that happened as a result of the December 27 elections where President Mwai Kibaki was reelected. The ODM claims that the election was rigged.
Three-days of protests were planned throughout the country. National police have banned public gatherings after the elections. Police fired live ammunition and tear gas at the protesters.
At least two people were killed in the clashes as a result of the protests.
While Kibaki was declared the winner, the opposition rejected the results. International observers had also questioned the results.
Over 600 people were killed with many more displaced. The United Nations has deemed this to be one of the worst humanitarian disasters in Kenya.
Odinga called Karua’s claims as outrageous.
“She knows where the truth lies – that all that we are having is a result of the order that the government has given to the police: to shoot particularly members of certain ethnic communities.
“So what we have been seeing is basically a response by members of the public to the police station, which has resulted in the killing of very many people who are members of other communities than the one she comes from,” Odinga said in response to Karua’s accusations.
The ODM has already condemned the church burning in Eldoret on January 1.