Azimio La Umoja One Kenya presidential hopeful Raila Odinga has revisited the killing of the controversial businessman Jacob Juma, saying he will push for those behind his death to be brought to book.
Mr Odinga, who was on the campaign trail in Nasianda in Bumula Constituency, where the late Juma was buried, on Sunday said the government has let down the family of the businessman with his killers not having been apprehended to date.
The former Prime Minister recounted that before Mr Juma was found dead, he had told him (Mr Odinga) that he had a dossier, which had pushed unknown people to want to assassinate him.
“Before Juma died, he told me that there is a plan to eliminate him but he said he would die for the truth. Juma was aware that there were people who wanted him dead,” said Mr Odinga.
“I was among the first people who arrived where Juma had been shot some minutes ago. I saw the vehicle which was bullet sprayed,” he added.
The slain businessman Jacob Juma was the local face of Cortec Mining Kenya (CMK) Limited. PHOTO | FILE| NATION MEDIA GROUP
With the killers of Mr Juma still at large, Mr Odinga has vowed that his murderers must be fought and prosecuted immediately he forms government.
“We must get the people who killed Juma. They tortured him and he died with a lot of secrets. No matter how long it will take, we will find Juma’s killers and be arraigned in court and charged,” said the ODM leader.
He added: “This is not a joke but a promise. Hold it as a debt. Whenever I remember Juma, I get overwhelmed emotionally because he was championing for truth. He died because of truth and justice.”
Mr Juma died on May 5, 2016 on the same day that he filed submissions in a case in which he had sued the Kenyan government for Sh2 trillion in an international court.
He had sued after the government cancelled his licence to Mrima Hill, a region in Kwale County believed to be so rich in rare earth minerals that the initial decision to allocate him the entire area remains a baffling mystery. BY DAILY NATION