Raila to Ruto: Obey court verdict on housing levy

ODM leaders Raila Odinga on Friday slammed President William Ruto saying his show of contempt of court orders was a threat to constitutionalism and order in the country. Raila said Ruto, and all employers had no option but to abide by Court of Appeal's decision quashing the Finance Bill 2023/24, and stop deducting employees the housing levy. The opposition chief said Kenyans were also keen to see whether Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) which he claimed had gone to bed with the executive, will stand with the employees. "The court has now ruled and nobody should be charged or deducted the housing levy. Cotu should instruct employers not to deduct money from employees," said Raila in Voi yesterday. Leader of Minority in the National Assembly who is also Ugunja MP, Opiyo Wandayi said it was clear that the Housing Levy was unconstitutional and thanked the court for declaring it as such. "We thank the court for coming to the rescue of Kenyan people and declaring the housing levy unconstitutional. Ruto has no option but to respect the courts," said Wandayi. He said the ruling on the controversial housing levy reflects the wishes of the majority of Kenyans and should be respected by the executive. Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, who is also Nairobi Senator, warned that the President must stop eroding confidence of Kenyans in the judiciary by ignoring court orders. "If the President continues to disobey court orders then Kenyans should rise and tell him enough is enough. Kenyans will rise and disobey his administration," said Sifuna. Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir said it was clear that the President was out of touch with the reality of the hard economic times Kenyans were going through. "Kenyans are now shouting them down. They do not cheer them the way they used to do during the campaigns. Let him (President) listen to the ground instead of being bitter," said Nassir. Raila and the ODM brigade are at the Coast for the party's membership recruitment drive. Raila said Azimio affiliate parties are currently carrying out massive recruitment drives to strengthen the coalition ahead of the next general election. He said the coalition is still intact and vibrant ready to take over leadership of the country in 2027, accusing the Kenya Kwanza administration of failing and impoverishing Kenyans. "Like ODM, the coalition individual parties are currently carrying out massive recruitment drives to register new members ahead of the next polls. The coalition presidential candidate in 2027 might be determined by the numbers of each affiliate party will register," Raila declared yesterday. The opposition leader was addressing ODM grassroots leaders drawn from Taveta, Mwaatte, Wundanyi, and Voi branches at Panlis Hotel on the outskirts of Mwaatte town. He later launched the party's recruitment drive in Voi town after visiting Msambweni village where over 3,000 squatters were evicted recently by Sparkly International Limited. "Despite having its different policies and ideologies, Azimio La Umoja individual's parties are still strong. Each party has to strengthen itself and that is why ODM is carrying out its recruitment drives at the grassroots level to register more members ahead of the next polls," Raila told the party delegates. He urged the local community that overwhelmingly voted for him in the last polls to remain loyal to the party whose future is bright. As he wound up his Coast tour in Taita-Taveta County, Raila warned Kenyans against voting for independent candidates in the next polls. "Do not look at the candidates while voting but look for candidates with political parties they are coming from," he advised. Raila was joined by Governor Andrew Mwadime who was voted in as an independent candidate. Mwadime hinted that he will soon join Raila's political bandwagon. He told Raila that ODM forced him out to go as an independent candidate because of the poor nomination process. "I will soon talk to Raila and I want to become the party leader if given a chance," the governor told the party delegates. As an independent governor, Mwadime has of late been gravitating towards the ruling coalition having hosted President William Ruto in the county twice since he was elected in 2022. Yesterday, Raila sought to know from local party officials why ODM performed poorly in the last general election.

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