Hold Raila accountable for losses during demos – Malala
United Democratic Alliance party leaders have intensified calls to have opposition leader Raila Odinga arrested for opposing the government.
The leaders led by UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malala, accused the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance party leader of inciting Kenyans against President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza administration.
Malala said that the time had reached to have Raila held accountable for the destruction of property and scaring away investors whenever he called for protests.
Speaking during a UDA party mass registration drive at the Minjila area in the Garsen constituency, Malala argued that by Raila calling for civil disobedience, he was painting the Ruto government in a bad light.
Raila has been giving the Ruto administration a run for their time and recently during the Saba Saba rally, he rallied his supporters to start collecting 10 million signatures to impeach the President.
“We are putting up with you for too long and we are almost fed up. If you continue to destroy people’s property, chasing away investors and misusing youths then we will arrest you because you are not above the law,” Malala said.
Raila is not the first politician to threaten Raila with arrests but many leaders including President Ruto when he was deputizing former President Uhuru Kenyatta used to call for the arrest of Raila and Kenyans are waiting if he will bow to pressure from his lieutenants who are pushing for Raila to be arrested now that Ruto is the President.
The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader has lined up a series of protest rallies over the rising cost of living starting this Wednesday at a time when Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki called out the police for using excessive force on unarmed protesters.
“We shall start by arresting Raila Odinga. You cannot do the same thing the same way and expect different results. You have been holding Saba Saba rallies for years, but you have not gotten the presidency. You think you will threaten Ruto? William Ruto is here to stay until 2032, if you want to collect signatures, try in 2033,” he said.
Tana River Senator Danson Mungatana and former Governor Hussein Dado condemned Raila for always causing tension in the country.
Mungatana said that Raila should go to his native Bondo village and rest since he was too old for politics.
His sentiments were echoed by Isiolo Governor Ibrahim Guyo and Saku MP Dido Rasso. Governor Guyo who was elected on a Jubilee party ticket recently declared support for President Ruto.
“The opposition is making noise so that they distract President Ruto from delivering services to Kenyans and when they come to you to collect those signatures, please chase them away,” said Mr Dado.