Political friction between Amani National Congress party leader Musalia Mudavadi and trade unionist Francis Atwoli could end up in the courts of law.

Mudavadi has written to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations demanding the arrest of the secretary-general of the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) over remarks he says threaten his life.

Through lawyer Nick Biketi, the Kenya Kwanza Alliance luminary wants Atwoli to reveal what he knows about plans to harm him. In the letter dated February 22, the lawyer says Mudavadi is fearing for his life following Atwoli’s “threatening remarks”. 

The letter is titled; ‘Threat to life statement made by Francis Atwoli against our client, Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi’.

Biketi says: “On diverse dates and series of events, Atwoli uttered the following statement: ‘Sisi kama Waluhya huwezi simamia matanga ya mama yangu uyafanye yawe State funeral na nirudi nikukane. Watu wa kanisa muombee Musalia Mudavadi kama sio hivo atapotea.Uhuru will see him going down but because he would have gone down, na mama yake ndio ataita yeye huko kwa kaburi (it is his mother who will call him to the grave.” 

Atwoli and Mudavadi have long-running seep-seated political differences. The Cotu boss is allied to Azimio La Umoja and supports the movement’s leader Raila Odinga’s bid for the Presidency. 

Mudavadi is in Kenya Kwanza Alliance alongside Deputy President William Ruto and Ford-Kenya’s biss Moses Wetangula.

Atwoli claims Mudavadi failed to utilise his position when he and other Luhya elders installed him as the community’s spokesman. But Mudavadi says he performed his role effectively, although Atwoli wanted him to play second fiddle to Raila.

Biketi said Atwoli has variously been issuing threats aimed at his client and that he must account for them this time round.

“Mimi nawaambia mchana and I don’t want to curse you kwa ajili nilimpa kiti nikasema yeye ataongoza sisi kama jamii yetu,” the lawyer quotes Atwoli as saying.

He adds, “Lakini ile kitu nataka kumwambia anaenda kuitwa; kama hawachi hiyo mtindo hivi karibuni utafungua TV yako unaona breaking news, mama yake amemuita; mnasikia hiyo maneno?”

The lawyer said the words in reference to his client were injurious and life-threatening: “In essence, and without any colour of doubt, style and pomp upon which one Francis Atwoli puts the aforementioned statements, dictates that himself and a clique of individuals are privy to information that puts the life of our client at risk.” 

“Ours is to demand, which we hereby do, that one Francis Atwoli, be summoned and/or arrested and charged for these life-threatening statements,” he adds.

Efforts to reach Atwoli were futile by the time of going to press as his phone went unanswered.