Kenya Diaspora Alliance: Standoff Between Miguna Miguna and the Government "Juvenile"
The Kenya Diaspora Alliance (KDA) has thrown its voice in the ongoing standoff between the government and self-proclaimed National Resistance Movement (NRM) general Miguna Miguna.
In a statement on Friday, KDA chairmanShem Ochuodho termed this week's drama at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) as "juvenile", noting that it might have serious implications on Kenya.
Ochuodho said the incident has eroded the gains made by the unity pact reached between President Kenyatta and Opposition leader Raila Odinga.
"KDA resents Miguna’s rabid style of doing things but that does not entitle anyone, not even security apparatus, to blatantly abuse his inalienable rights. Much more, nobody, especially not the State and its organs maintained by Kenyan taxes, should blatantly disregard court decisions repeatedly," he said.
He further hit out at Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i, Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet and former Immigration Director Gordon Kihalangwa, terming their disregard for court orders as "impunity at its best".
"We are reliably informed by US-based members that there is a serious rethink of direct flights to the JKIA. What a costly blunder this would be. Was the belligerence in handling the Miguna matter, as well as barbaric attacks on his lawyers and the media, worth the price–both financial and strategic?" Ochuodho asked.
"There are also claims of Emirates withdrawing flights to Nairobi. Surely, don’t we have a Constitution that guarantees civil liberties and a claim to legitimacy as a modern democracy?"
KDA also defended Miguna from claims by the State that he was not a Kenyan citizen because he had acquired Canadian nationality and declined to apply for Kenyan citizenship after the promulgation of 2010 Constitution, which provided for dual citizenship..
"As a dual citizen, Miguna is a member of the Diaspora community. Even as we expect him to fully abide by the laws of Kenya, his rights too must be respected," Ochuodho said.
He added: "How does the State expect ordinary Kenyans, who haven’t sworn to protect the Constitution, to obey it if it not only ignores it but also disparages court decisions?"
He challenged the government to come out clean about Miguna's case and the mystery surrounding his citizenship.
"The State must tell Kenyans if it was fraudulently done, and if so, what’s the evidence? Why was his passport confiscated? Why did Miguna refuse to fill forms - instead tearing them - and which forms were they?"
Miguna, who maintains that he never denounced his Kenyan citizenship, was kicked out of Kenya for the second time in a span of one month. He was deported to Canada on February 6th over his role in the mock swearing-in of National Super Alliance (Nasa) chief Raila Odinga.
Miguna remains stranded in Dubai after he was bundled out of the country on Wednesday, a day after he landed at the JKIA on Monday afternoon. He was denied entry into Kenya after refusing to produce the travel documents to immigration officials at the airport.