Azimio la Umoja One Kenya alliance leader Raila Odinga has warned president William Ruto that he will not succeed in making the country a one-party autocracy.
Raila was speaking at Jubilee party headquarters on Thursday, February 16, 2023, after Political Parties Dispute Tribunal suspended Jubilee Party’s decision to expel its Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni and Vice Chairperson David Murathe.
The Azimio leader accused Ruto of trying to make Kenya a one-party autocracy by bribing opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) – claiming that ODM lawmakers who went to State House were each paid Ksh5 million.
“Tumeona vitisho ambayo inatoka kwa serikali haramu ya bwana Ruto na vibaraka vyake. Wanajaribu kurudisha nchi hii chini ya utwala ya chama kimoja. Wanajaribu kuvunja vyama vingine vya kisiasa,” Raila said.
“Tumeona wabunge ambao walichaguliwa na wananchi ndani ya vyama ambaya viko chini ya muungano wa Azimio wakipelekwa kwa munada kule ikulu. Wengine wanasema ati wanaenda kule kutafuta maendeleo. Hakuna maendeleo ikulu. Wale wanaenda kwa shauri ya tumbo yao. Tunajua yakwamba kila mmoja akienda kule anapewa shilingi milioni tano. Hio milioni tano akichukua hata hapeleki kwa watu wake hio inakua tu ni yake ya kibinafsi,” he added.
Raila further stated that Ruto was a student of late president Moi (Nyayo) who failed to make Kenya a one-party state. He added that just like Nyayo failed, he too will also fail.
The Azimio leader stressed that Kenyans can’t allow being taken back to the era of one-party autocracy.
“Tumeambia bwana Ruto wewe ni mwanafunzi wa Nyayo na baba yako alijaribu na hakuweza. Ata wewe mwenyewe utajaribu na hutaweza. Wakenya wako macho. Wakenya wanajua tumetoka wapi, tuko wapi na tunaelekea wapi. Wakenya hawawezi kukubali kurudishwa katika utawala ya kimabavu ya chama kimoja. Hii demokrasia Wakenya walikufia na Wakenya bado wako tayari kumwaga damu kulinda hii demokrasia,” Raila said.
Raila further added that Azimio will continue to hold public barazas across the country starting this coming Friday, February 17, 2023.
“We refuse to be intimidated, we will not succumb to blackmail. The threat to our democracy, the regimes don’t care attitude to the suffering of our people, the attacks on the rule of law and constitutionalism and the push to silence critical voices at a time the country needs them are our reason to push back.
“To this end, our people’s baraza shall continue. Confirmed that we will hold Baraza in Kisii tomorrow. We will have a people baraza in Kisumu the next day on Saturday then we will proceed to Mombasa on Sunday 26th February 2023. In between, we will hold interdenominational prayers at the Jeevanjee gardens on Wednesday 22 February 2023,” Raila said.
