Azimio la Umoja coalition principal Raila Odinga has come to the defense of the Kenyan Judiciary by promising to defend them against President William Ruto’s scathing attacks.
The President has of late claimed that the Judiciary is not impartial, implying that they have been ‘bribed’ to influence decisions to go against his policies.
The presidents scathing remarks have caused an uproar within the legal fraternity with the LSK staging anti-Ruto protests in Nairobi on Friday, January 12.
Chief Justice Martha Koome has also responded to Ruto’s attacks demanding for the president to show proof of corruption in the Judiciary.
Raila Odinga has now come out strongly expressing concerns that the country is regressing into the dark days of dictatorship under the leadership of President William Ruto. In recent days, the opposition leader Raila Odinga, leading the Azimio leaders, has criticized President Ruto for his attacks on the Judiciary.
During the funeral service of the late Migori County ODM party Chairperson, Phillip Makabongo, the Azimio brigade rallied to defend the Judiciary, which has faced criticism from the Head of State.
Odinga argued that President Ruto’s actions aim to intentionally weaken the Judiciary, hindering scrutiny of his regime.
“Everybody must be subject to the court… we want to tell the judges of the courts not to be cowed… we will defend you… we stand together as the people of Kenya behind the Judiciary,” Odinga stated.
Odinga expressed surprise at the President’s attacks on the Judiciary, considering his own presidency resulted from a Supreme Court judgment after the disputed August 2022 election.
“We are dealing with a regime that has gone rogue… we struggled to bring this Constitution… we lost people because of this Constitution,” he noted.
Several legislators and governors accompanying Odinga also denounced the attacks by the President Ruto as a deliberate attempt to return the country to the dark days of dictatorship.
“President Ruto is not above the law; he is below the law and cannot disobey the law,” Siaya Governor James Orengo remarked.
Opposition leaders also called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of South Mugirango MP Sylvanus Osoro over a recent attack in Kisii County that left four people with gunshot wounds.
“Sisi kama magavana tuko nyuma ya magavana wote… we call upon all the investigating officers to come up and question Osoro over the shooting incident in Kisii that left many injured,” said Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga.
The opposition announced plans to address the high cost of living and the burden of heavy taxation next week, further engaging its supporters on these issues.
