‘Do not be cowed, we will defend you!’ Raila tells judges as he claims Gov’t has gone rogue

The Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party now claims the country is slowly sliding back to the dark days of dictatorship under the current regime headed by President William Ruto.

Led by opposition leader Raila Odinga, Azimio leaders castigated President Ruto over his recent attacks against the Judiciary.

The Azimio brigade used the funeral service of the late Migori County ODM party Chairperson Phillip Makabongo to defend the Judiciary that has recently come under fire from the Head of State.

Mr. Odinga argued that President Ruto’s scheme is to deliberately weaken the Judiciary to disable scrutiny of his regime.

“Everybody must be subject to the court…we want to tell the judges of the courts not to be cowed...we will defend you...we stand together as the people of Kenya behind the Judiciary,” he said.

The Azimio chief said it is surprising that the President is attacking the Judiciary when his presidency was a result of a judgment of the Supreme Court after the August 2022 election was disputed by the opposition.

“We are dealing with a regime that has gone rogue….we struggled to bring this Constitution...we lost people because of this Constitution,” he noted.

Several legislators and Governors who accompanied Mr. Odinga termed the attacks spearheaded by the President as a deliberate attempt to take back the country to dark days of dictatorship.

Siaya Governor James Orengo said: “President Ruto is not above the law, he is below the law and cannot disobey the law.”

Nominated MP John Mbadi stated: “The Ruto we see today is the real Ruto...dictatorship is the real Ruto...the one attacking the Judiciary is the real Ruto....we will not allow you to bring back dictatorship in this country.”

The opposition leaders also called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of South Mugirango MP Sylvanus Osoro over a recent attack in Kisii County, which resulted in four people sustaining gunshot wounds.

“Sisi kama magavana tuko nyuma ya magavana wote....we call upon all the investigating officers to come up and question Osoro over the shooting incident in Kisii that left many injured,” said Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga.

The opposition said it will give the way further to its supporters next week in regards to the high cost of living and then burden of heavy taxation.