‘Sword not meant to be used on Kenyans,’ MP Otiende Amollo tells President Ruto

Rarieda Member of Parliament Dr. Otiende Amollo has advised President William Ruto against using the ceremonial sword on Kenyans, but rather on external threats.

Speaking on Citizen TV’s JKLive Show on Wednesday, the MP cited recent utterances by the Head of State where he (Ruto) declared war on anyone against the success of his regime, warning that his critics would know that “his sword is not for chopping mboga.”

Dr. Amollo faulted the President for the remarks saying, Constitutionally, the sword should be used to defend Kenya from external conflicts, and not on the country’s citizens.

“The President swears by the Constitution, internally, to defend the Constitution and the people of Kenya. He is handed over the sword for external aggression; not to use on Kenyans, but on those who want to attack Kenyans,” he said.

“When the President says the sword is not for cutting mboga, that is where he starts to miss the point. That sword is to protect us from others, not to be used on any Kenyan, for all Kenyans is the Constitution.”

According to the advocate, President Ruto has been ill-advised and should rescind his sentiments and instead use the sword, which is a reflection of authority, to defend the country.

He similarly referred to the ongoing tiff between the Judiciary and the Executive as a one-sided war launched by the latter against the former.

Despite the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Gladys Boss, who was also on the panel, disputing the presence of a “civil war” between the two arms of government, Dr. Amollo termed the ongoing debate as an onslaught on the Judiciary by the Executive.

“There is no war between the Executive and the Judiciary, it is the Executive’s war on the Judiciary since the judiciary has not opened any war on the Executive,” the lawmaker said.

President Ruto has, in the recent past threatened to use his sword against corrupt individuals or anyone seeking to derail his administration’s agenda.

Speaking at a thanksgiving mass in Kisii County last month, Ruto expressed his intention to use the symbolic sword to "weed out crooks" opposing the housing levy, prompting concerns and reactions.

"Si mnajua nilipewa sword. Kwani mnafikiri hiyo sword ni ya kukata mboga? Si ni ya kufyeka wakora hapa? Nitawafyeka kabisa, Kenya itasonga mbele." (You know I was given a sword. Do you think it's for cutting vegetables? It's for dealing with all these crooks here. I will uproot them completely, and Kenya will move forward)," he said.