‘It is unconstitutional,’ Raila faults gov't for military deployment in Northern Kenya

Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party Leader Raila Odinga has come out to fault President William Ruto’s government for deploying the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) in Northern Kenya.

Addressing the press outside the Jubilee Party headquarters in Nairobi on Thursday, Odinga went bare knuckle on the government accusing the State of disregarding the rule of law and constitutionalism.

He referred to the recent move to deploy the military in Northern parts of the country affected by banditry saying the head of state acted illegally without the consent of parliament as stipulated in the law.

“We have seen the military being deployed in the North without the authority of parliament as prescribed in the constitution,” Odinga said.

“Our constitution is clear that nobody can deploy the military without the authority of parliament.”

The former premier’s remarks come against the backdrop of a directive by President Ruto which was seconded by Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof Kithure Kindiki.

Kindiki defended the move by the commander-in-chief saying that the deployment of the military was within the law since it was a police operation done with the assistance of the military and not wholly a KDF affair.

“It is clarified that the operation in the areas specified in the aforesaid Kenya Gazette Notices as amended is POLICE-LED with assistance from the Military within the remit of Article 241 (3) (b) of the Constitution of Kenya,” Kindiki said in a statement on Tuesday.

“As such, NO prior approval of the National Assembly is required as would be the case for a MILITARY-LED operation under Article 241 (3) (c) of the Constitution.”

At the same time, the Azimio Chief went on to accuse President Ruto’s regime of weaponising State machinery, citing Wednesday's raid on former Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang'i's home. Odinga claimed that the President is keen on punishing those who were opposed to his rule.

“That deployment taken together with real and imaginary enemies of the regime including former officials of the Jubilee government like Dr Fred Matiangi should be a concern to every Kenyan,” Odinga stated.

According to Odinga, President Ruto should be focusing on tackling the current problems such as drought, hunger and the ailing economy instead of engaging in politics.

“The assault on democracy is being funded by the taxpayers' money. At no time in recent history have our time lived through so much hunger, desperation, frustration while the government focuses on politics of survival and revenge,” he stated.

“We are courting disaster, we are feeding a monster from  which in due course we will not be safe, not even those currently cheering it.”