Raila says Judiciary could be compromised after President State House talks with CJ

Opposition leader Raila Odinga has taken issue with the Judiciary for agreeing to meet with President William Ruto at State House.

At the same time, Raila dismissed reports in a section of the media that the Azimio coalition was on the verge of collapse due to political differences among its leaders.

Speaking at Maweni village on Manda Island in Lamu County yesterday, Raila maintained that Azimio was strong and was on course to liberate the country from tyranny.

Raila said the meeting between the Judiciary and the president should have been be at a neutral ground instead of the State House where the president resides.

"It is unfortunate that the Chief Justice agreed to have the meeting at the State House. If they have to dialogue, it should be on a neutral ground to prevent the Judiciary from being compromised. The Judiciary should not go to bed with the Executive," he protested.

Raila urged judges to be firm and refuse to be compromised by the Executive.

Meanwhile, Raila insisted there was no disagreement in Azimio and that the coalition that sponsored his candidacy in the 2022 General Election was intact.

"There is no danger of Azimio collapsing any time soon. There is no disagreement in Azimio. What has been reported is untrue and amounts to irresponsible journalism," he said.

He noted that Azimio leaders usually meet and resolve their differences amicably and that the coalition was not about to break up as reported.

Raila was flanked by ODM deputy party leader Wycliffe Oparanya, Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir, ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna and MPs Justus Kizito, Mishi Mboko and Badi Twalib, among others.

At the same time, Raila claimed Kenya Kwanza gave boda boda and mama mboga empty promises ahead of the last general election and had now abandoned them.

Addressing ODM delegates on Lamu island, Raila claimed Kenya Kwanza has changed its tune after forming the government while the hustlers' plight has been relegated to the back banner.

"They no long talk about the boda boda and mama mboga. They have gone silent and do not make any reference to them," he noted.

Raila was in Lamu to launch the recruitment of new party members ahead of planned party elections in April, this year.

He claimed ODM was focused on the rights to life, health, food, education and equal employment opportunity and hence stands out among other political parties.

Raila also took issue with the government for allegedly not upholding the dreams of the grand coalition government on the development of the Lamu Port South Sudan Ethiopia Transport (Lapsset) corridor project that was supposed to link up the Indian Ocean and the Pacific through a modern railway line.

"Our dream when we were in government was to build a bridge between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific through Cameroun by the construction of a railway line to link up with Lamu Port. This would have changed the lives of the fishers in Lamu who have remained poor," he said.

He said there was also a plan by the grand coalition government to build an international airport and other key infrastructure under Lapsset that has not been implemented to date.

Earlier, Raila commissioned a water project at Maweni village on Manda island that was developed by Shella MCA Atwa Salim.

Nassir said the future of Azimio was bright, and its leaders were united.

"For strange reasons, some media organisations have said the future of Azimio is uncertain. But we do not look like we are dwindling. We strongly believe in the manifesto of ODM and the partnership of Azimio, and we are strong," Nassir said.

Kizito, Mboko and Twalib endorsed Raila for the 2027 presidential race under the Azimio coalition. Oparanya said Raila carries Kenyans' dream to change their lives for the bette come the 2027 election and urged Lamu residents to register as members in large numbers.