Stop intimidation, Raila Odinga tells Jubilee

CORD leader Raila Odinga

Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) leader Raila Odinga has challenged the Jubilee Government to stop intimidating the Opposition and instead address the challenges affecting the country.

The Opposition chief also defended CORD leaders who are facing various charges.

"Instead of addressing the challenges we are posing to them, the Jubilee Government is busy intimidating CORD members in a bid to silence them," he said as he defended the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Nairobi County Chairman George Aladwa who was arrested over alleged hate remarks.

Aladwa was last Saturday arrested for allegedly inciting the public during a Mashujaa rally in Kibra.

Raila's accusation come at a time Senate Speaker Ekwee Ethuro has gazetted court findings that Wetang'ula bribed voters, a move that opens the way for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to deregister him as a voter. This may see the CORD co-principal blocked from contesting in the next General Election.

Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama is also facing hate speech charges in court currently.

Raila said the plight of Wetang'ula, Muthama and Aladwa are a plot to silence the opposition, urging Kenyans to rise and save the country from Jubilee which can no longer run the country.

The former prime minister described the Jubilee Government as being in its deathbed due to poor leadership.

He claimed the Government is planning to retrench workers because of the financial crisis in the country.

On party issues, he challenged members to stop fighting over party positions but focus on redeeming the country by putting in place structures for the party to capture presidency in 2017.

Siaya Senator James Orengo said the Jubilee Government had failed in all aspects citing security, economy and national examinations as examples.

Nominated Senator Elizabeth Ongoro said Government's game plan was to intimidate and silence the Opposition since they lack a clear agenda for the country.

Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar said CORD shall stand with Wetang'ula as the case against him is political because of his strong criticism of the Jubilee Government.

ODM Secretary General Ababu Namwamba said the Jubilee Government was suffering from chronic incompetence syndrome.

"Even in matters of securing the sanctity and integrity of national examination, Jubilee scores zero. They fail in all matters of national importance but only score highly on corruption, ethnicity among other issues," said Mr Namwamba.

He claimed the Government was trying to arm-twist the Controller of Budget Agnes Odhiambo over her stand on Eurobond.

"As the opposition, we stand by the Controller of Budget because we want to know the truth about the Eurobond," said Namwamba.

The leaders were speaking in Seka, Suba in Homa Bay County during the burial of Slermina Ng'ong'o, mother of Suba MP John Mbadi.

Other leaders present during the burial were Governors Jack Ranguma (Kisumu), Cyprian Awiti (Homa bay) and Cornel Rasanga (Siaya) and Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang.

MPs were Millie Odhiambo (Mbita), Opondo Kaluma (Homa Bay Town), Fred Outa (Nyando), Aduma Owuor( Nyakach), Timothy Bosire(Kitutu Masaba), Oburu Oginga(Nominated), Tom Kajwang (Ruaraka), Syllvance Osele (Kasipul Kabondo), Oyugi Magwanga (Kasipul) and Daniel Maanzo (Makueni).