Raila accuses Jubilee of plot to kill multipartysm

By James Omoro

NDHIWA, KENYA: Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga poured scorn on Jubilee’s manner of running the Government, this time accusing it of intending to take the country back to single party state.

Speaking at Thuon Gweno village in Ndhiwa Constituency during the homecoming ceremony for nominated member of Homa Bay County Assembly Monica Amolo, Raila expressed concern that that the Jubilee Government was introducing legislation, which could jeopardise democracy and future of Kenyans.

Raila said the Government had developed a tendency of introducing Bills in Parliament with intention of killing the multiparty system, which has been enhanced since re-introduction in 1992.

“It is very unfortunate that the Government is imposing retrogressive legislations which are killing rights of citizens of this country. What the Government is doing will culminate in reintroduction of single party state,” Raila warned.

He pointed out the Bill  that will authorise the police to shoot to kill, the draft law on NGOs and the draconian media law as some of the steps towards a single party state.

But in a quick rejoinder, National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale said it is Kenyans and not politicians or the Jubilee government who can make a decision on whether to return to a single party state or not.

Duale accused the former premier of failing to spearhead a vibrant opposition and has instead chosen to  make wild allegations.

“Raila is conforming that he has lost leadership both in the House and outside. There is a leadership crisis in the opposition,” he said

Homa Bay Senator Otieno Kajwang, his Siaya counterpart James Orengo and Funyula MP Paul Otuoma used the platform to criticise President Uhuru Kenyatta’s comment that Jubilee will rule for 20 years.

They argued that the comment was discriminatory since it was depicting a scenario where Kenyan leadership is mainly meant to to be governed by two communities.

“There is no way somebody can say members of a given community are going to lead this country for more than 75 years. Let all Kenyans come out to defend their citizenship to prove them wrong because this country does not belong to two communities,” Orengo said.

Raila maintained that the draconian media Bill recently passed by Parliament would thwart freedom of the Press hence denying Kenyans crucial information they need to get.

Raila expressed concern over the higher fines contained in the Bill.

“The Government is taking us to a very bad situation because journalists will feel intimidated in their reporting because the fines contained in the Bill will lead to shutting media houses as well as imprisonment of scribes,” he added.

He said many Kenyans had suffered for the birth of democracy and multiparty system therefore interfering with freedom of the Press could lead to jeopardy of democratic space.

The CORD leader criticised Government for introducing a Bill, which will authorise the police to shoot and kill suspects.

He said the Bill will bring about autocracy in the police force hence giving them an opportunity to exercise extra-judicial killings and intimidate citizens.

“The Government had also attempted to reduce the amount of funding by NGOs yet these organisations are the ones carrying out a lot of development projects. It is intending to cause wrangles with its citizens since empowering the police to shoot will lead to killing of many people,” Raila added.