Omtatah Fires Back at Ahmednasir Over Rice Imports in Scathing Letter
Busia Senator and presidential hopeful Okiya Omtatah has delivered a fiery response to lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi. The clash comes after Ahmednasir demanded an apology over Omtatah’s remarks in the Senate on rice imports.
Omtatah Refuses to Apologise
In a letter dated August 25, Omtatah firmly rejected Ahmednasir’s demands. He accused the lawyer of issuing baseless threats.
“With due respect, your demands are not only devoid of legal merit but represent a fundamental misunderstanding of Parliamentary privilege, Constitutional oversight and the doctrine of separation of powers,” Omtatah wrote.
He stressed that his statements in the Senate were guided by the public interest.
“I categorically state that I stand by every word in my request for a statement regarding the approval of duty-free waivers for rice imports. I made the request in the public interest and will continue to perform my duties as a Senator to ensure transparency and accountability in governance,” he added.
The Source of the Dispute
The war of words began after Omtatah questioned the importation of 500,000 tonnes of duty-free rice. On July 9, he sought answers in the Senate on how a private corporation secured the importation quota.
Ahmednasir, representing the company, termed the remarks defamatory. In a letter dated July 31, he demanded Omtatah retract his words within seven days or face legal action.
The lawyer claimed the Senator’s remarks damaged his client’s reputation and lacked factual backing.
Omtatah Cites the Law
In his lengthy reply, Omtatah anchored his defense in the Constitution. He invoked Article 117 and the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act, which protect MPs from lawsuits over statements made in Parliament.
He also cited the Defamation Act of 1970, which shields fair and accurate reports of parliamentary proceedings.
To strengthen his case, he pointed to a 2020 Appellate Court ruling that upheld parliamentary privilege.
“You state without proof that your client never received the quota. That is welcome news. I am certain the Senate Committee will be glad to hear it. That is the proper channel for your client to place its position,” Omtatah replied.
Defending Farmers and Public Interest
Omtatah insisted his main concern was Kenyan farmers. He argued that importing duty-free rice while local produce rots in stores was unfair and destructive.
The outspoken Senator vowed he would not be silenced.
“I will keep raising issues that affect Kenyans. I will continue seeking answers in committees whenever public resources are at stake,” he declared.
For now, the standoff between the fearless Senator and the prominent lawyer seems far from over.
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Omtatah Fires Back at Ahmednasir Over Rice Imports in Scathing Letter
