‘He has sensed defeat in court’: Makau Mutua slams Ruto for wooing Azimio leaders to Kenya Kwanza

Raila Odinga Presidential Campaign Secretariat Spokesperson Prof. Makau Mutua has now hit out at President-elect William Ruto for what he termed as the illegal wooing of Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party members to the Kenya Kwanza fold without following due process.

Prof. Mutua, in a statement to newsrooms on Friday, said no Azimio constituent party has formally invoked the process of leaving the coalition hence any purported defections at this time are null and void.

He hence termed the alleged move by the Kenya Kwanza chief to reportedly woo Azimio leaders as well as those elected on independent tickets to his side as an act of impunity capable of returning Kenya back to the old days before multiparty democracy was introduced.

“We are shocked that DP William Ruto, who harbors dreams of leading Kenya, is already engaged in acts of impunity and disregard of the rule of law. He must suffer from gross ignorance of our laws,” stated Prof. Mutua.

“As we issue this statement, Mr. Ruto is assiduously wooing some of the leaders elected as Independents and on the Azimio Coalition to defect to his side. This is the practice that was used in the KANU era to defeat the independence of the legislature and retard the growth of multiparty democracy.”

According to Mutua, the document that was signed by all Azimio constituent parties to formally enter the coalition before the 2022 elections outlined the necessary steps to be followed by any of them desirous of exiting.

He however maintained that none of them had yet to institute such procedures, adding that they hence all still remain firmly within the coalition party.

“Mr. Ruto preaches water but drinks wine. He ought to know democracy requires vibrant pluralism in which different political parties compete on issues. Attempts to cannibalize Azimio by corrupting its members will not succeed,” he wrote.

“The law that led to the formation of Azimio La Umoja One Kenya — and its Deed of Agreement — set out the ground rules and conditions under which members can exit the coalition. There are clear guidelines. Mr. Ruto should know that it is illegal for him, or others, to induce members to purport to leave Azimio. No member of Azimio has legally invoked the process of leaving the coalition. All the members who signed as original members are still members in good standing. So, any purported defections are a legal nullity.”

Prof. Mutua further urged Ruto to await the outcome of their court petition challenging the results of the 2022 presidential election, however expressing confidence at emerging the victor.

He termed Ruto’s moves since being declared President-elect by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), an announcement that he has since vowed to challenge at the Supreme Court, as “hypocrisy” and “disregard for the law.”

“Mr. Ruto should not be allowed to take this country back to the old days of KANU dictatorship. He needs to stop engaging in the culture of political corruption. We know he wants to create propaganda to give the impression that he is the inevitable victor. The court will be the final arbiter on who won this election, and we are confident that we won it,” added Mutua.

“Why has Mr. Ruto panicked and resorted to illegal and corrupt conduct in violation of the law? It can only be because he has sensed defeat. We urge Kenyans to see Mr. Ruto’s hypocrisy and his disregard for the law for what it is. We ask our supporters and those elected on Azimio, or as Independents, to stand firm to vindicate our democracy.”

The remarks come after Mandera Senator-elect Ali Roba’s United Democratic Movement (UDM) party on Thursday announced that it had ditched the Raila Odinga-led Azimio coalition party for President-elect Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza alliance.

Roba, who is the outgoing Mandera Governor, alleged that the move was occasioned by what he termed as “longstanding unresolved issues” within the Azimio fold.

President-elect Ruto has also received a section of leaders who were elected on independent tickets into Kenya Kwanza, among them 10 Members of Parliament.