National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale could face legal action for allegedly linking Opposition leader Raila Odinga to the collapse of Mumias Sugar Company.
A day after his plan to sue Deputy President William Ruto for associating him with the woes bedevilling the miller was made public, the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy leader has taken issue with Duale for his utterances during two public meetings in which he accused him of owing the company Sh40 million and contributing to the suffering of the people of Western Kenya.
Ruto yesterday responded to Raila's threat to take legal action against him through a post on his Twitter account. "Am waiting to see how taking me to court will help my friend Tinga pay the "commercial loan" he admitted owing poor cane farmers in Mumias," he said.
Raila alleges Duale made the statements on August 15 at a function in Kericho and during a press conference at Parliament Buildings three days later.
"Our instructions are to notify you that we shall file legal proceedings against you for damages for the injury caused to our client after seven days from the date of this letter unless you have submitted to us an offer of settlement of our client's claim," Raila says through lawyer Paul Kariuki.
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During a function at Burboirwet Secondary School in Kericho, Duale reportedly said: "The collapse of Mumias did not start during Uhuru's tenure. It began during that of the former President Mwai Kibaki and former PM. Raila's family owes Mumias Sugar Company Sh40 million and we call on Western legislators to go to the former PM's office and pick the cheque."
At the press conference, Duale is alleged to have said: "We also want our friend Raila, the Lord of Poverty, to go to Western Kenya. We want the people of Western Kenya to come in large numbers to welcome him to listen to his rhetoric but at the end of the day he has two choices; he either gives a cheque or provides a repayment schedule."
Raila says Duale's utterances meant he owed Mumias Sh40 million and had unlawfully refused to settle the debt.
Raila further says the utterances imply the people of Western Kenya and sugar-cane farmers are unable to take their children to school due to his failure to pay them.
"The words were also understood to mean by way of innuendo that Raila is a debt defaulter who unlawfully refuses to settle his commercial debts," he said.
Raila insists he does not owe Mumias, Western residents and farmers any money. The CORD leader says that for several decades, he has dedicated his life to fighting for the plight of poor people and initiation of projects to alleviate poverty.
