Kenyans angry after Boni Khawale circumcision comment against Kibra residents

Ex-Senator Boni Khalwale on Tuesday angered Kenyans with an ethnically-charged statement that demeaned the residents of Kibra constituency.

The politician appeared on AM Live where he was among panelists dissecting the recent by-election where ODM candidate Imran Okoth emerged as winner.

Khalwale also explained viral photos and video clips of himself being attacked by Kibra residents and him picking up stones in readiness to retaliate.

Kenyans angry after Boni Khawale's circumcision comment against Kibra residents Pulse Live Kenya

"I have seen a lot of people troll me on social media and most of them, including Amollo [Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo], poking fun into a situation that was a matter of life and death. I'm glad I did not give you [Amollo] an opportunity...to get me to a situation where I was an object of pity and humiliation.

"Never in the culture of a Luhya man can you allow a small uncircumcised boy to challenge you and you run away, it's not possible. All of us in our history at war we die facing our enemy, we don't show them our back...the situation in Kibra was a war situation and if I had any suicidal ideation then I would have sat there with my hands on my head so that these people could pity me. They came for me and I'm glad I repulsed them," Khalwale explained.

Circumcision comment was too much

The Rarieda MP, who was also part of the panel was quick to alert Dr Khalwale that the circumcision comment had gone too far.

"As leaders we should be very careful about what we say, because what we say even on this show can amount to provocation...it provokes, even now when we have a leader like Boni Khalwale calling residents of Kibra uncircumcised young men. How he knew the circumcision status of a person in those grounds, I don't know," Amollo responded.