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Victims of the 2007-08 post-election violence in Naivasha have lashed out at area MP Jayne Kihara for alleged hate speech after she accused some of them of failing to pay rent.

They have warned that the MP’s sentiments would lead to chaos, noting that the violence that rocked the lakeside town in 2007 started through such reckless remarks.

Victims have since challenged the National Integration and Cohesion Commission (NICC) to move with haste and investigate the alleged incitements.

In a video that has since gone viral, Kihara accuses members of a certain community of failing to pay rent in Kibera and Mathare since 2007.

She further alleges that the same members of the community had allocated themselves businesses they would grab in Naivasha if Raila Odinga was elected president in 2007.

Speaking in Naivasha yesterday, the victims and youth leaders condemned the MP, noting that her sentiments were creating unnecessary tension.

The ODM coordinator in Naivasha David Kilo said the allegations were in bad faith, as there were no reported cases of any community refusng to pay rent in Naivasha.

While calling on NICC to take action, Kilo hit out at the MP, saying her statement came just a couple of months to the General Election.

“We are deeply perturbed by the statement made by Kihara over the weekend in Kiambu.

We are calling on the National Integration and Cohesion Commission to investigate her,” he said.

Affected families

Kilo, who is also a 2007 PEV victim, noted that affected families were yet to fully recover 14 years after the chaos.

His sentiments were echoed by another victim, Joyce Alouch, who said they were shocked and angry at the MP’s words.

She warned that such unfounded statements can lead to unnecessary tension.

“We strongly condemn the statement by Kihara as it is demeaning and unfairly targeting one community in Naivasha,” she said.

But in a message on social media, the MP denied accusing any community, noting that her words were taken out of context.

“A section of the video has been played to portray me in bad faith as I was only reacting to a statement by Suna East MP Junet Mohamed that the presidential seat would only benefit people from Nyanza,” she said.