Stop pushing for bad laws and talking big, Raila cautions Ruto

Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga (right) among other political leaders during the funeral service of former Kanduyi MP Lawrence Sifuna at St. Monica Siritani Primary School in Bungoma. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

Azimio leader Raila Odinga has cautioned President William Ruto against muzzling Parliament, pushing for the enactment of bad laws and talking big.

Raila claimed that President Ruto could be fearing that the public could suffer the consequences of his (Ruto’s) acts and eventually turn against him.

Speaking at the burial of former Bungoma North MP Lawrence Sifuna, Raila said the country’s history was littered with examples of leaders who were brought down by the masses after exhibiting the big man mentality Ruto had adopted by saying he was unstoppable on his agenda.

The president has vowed to enforce Universal Health Coverage (UHC), Housing levy, sale of State parastatals and help Kenyans secure jobs in foreign countries despite a stay by the court and protests from opposition and civil rights groups.

“You (Ruto) are not unstoppable. Kenyans will eventually stop you when you show them such an attitude. Kenyans cannot be ruled in a manner that is not stipulated in the laws. Former President (Daniel) Moi was stopped, who are you?” posed Raila.

He went on to say that the Kenya Kwanza regime was having an easy time in the National Assembly where bad laws were sailing through as its man, Moses Wetang’ula was the Assembly’s supremo.

He challenged Wetang’ula to step aside as Ford Kenya party leader, an affiliate of Kenya Kwanza if he was truly a neutral arbiter in the assembly where Kenya Kwanza enjoys a super-majority against Azimio’s.

“MPs should be bold like the late Lawrence Sifuna, multiparty doyen Maside Muliro, George Kaptein, and the like who said no to bad laws pushed by the Executive. The current lot has emasculated itself and is now holding brief for the Executive,” he said.

Raila’s sentiments came after DAP-K party leader Eugene Wamalwa asked MPs to learn to stand with the people and resist the Executive which has ‘lost touch’ with the common man.

“Their (MPs) vote on the Finance Bill, 2023, was not logical. Over 80 per cent of Kenyans were against the Bill but most MPs voted for it, that is not what the liberators of yesteryears did,” argued Wamalwa.

Governors James Orengo (Siaya), George Natembeya (Trans Nzoia) and Anyang Nyong’o (Kisumu) said the nation’s economy was ailing and needed great attention to revive.

Second liberation

Orengo, an ally of Sifuna in the second liberation struggles, challenged MPs to ape Sifuna’s ways in parliament as he was renowned for asking tough questions to the government and underperforming ministers.

Governor Ken Lusaka (Bungoma) urged leaders to be brave and work together as the late Sifuna did.

The late Sifuna, a former MP for Bungoma South (now Kanduyi) and Bumala, died aged 77 while receiving treatment at an Eldoret hospital after suffering a stroke.

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