Siaya — Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga led other Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party legislators in telling the government to drop any idea of arresting their party leader Raila Odinga.
Oburu said the idea is far-fetched and should be discarded in the minds of those planning it.
He says Raila has no problem with the government but only to point out its shortcomings.
“Raila has no issue with President William Ruto, it’s the people of Kenya who have a problem with Ruto,” he said.
Oburu who is the elder brother to Raila graced a political rally in Kisumu East where Raila was highly expected to attend.
“Let them not dream of arresting Raila for calling for protest in the country due to the high cost of living, stop the dream, it can’t happen,” said Oburu.
He says the government should not use force to intimidate, maim and kill Kenyans who are exercising their Constitutional rights to demonstrate.
He says it is the duty of the government to protect its people and not use police to beat and kill its people.
“Kenyans will demonstrate whether you like it or not, next week the people will be on the street, Kenyans need no permission from the government,” he said.
He says President Ruto should stop chest thumping that no demonstration will happen asking where the president has gotten that power to stop what is clearly spelt in the Constitution.
The Minority Leader in the National Assembly Opiyo Wandayi also echoed the same sentiments noting that it is a tall order to arrest Raila.
Wandayi says the country has made great strides in democracy and attempts to arrest Rail will erode such gains.
“I want to tell the Kenya Kwanza brigade to stop overthinking, democracy is thriving in the country and we don’t want to go back to the dark days,” he said.
Kisumu West MP Roza Buyu says President Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua has no mandate to cancel Azimio demonstrations.
Buyu says the government should reign on corruption which has started to rear its head in country instead of being preoccupied by Raila’s activities.
“I want to ask Resident Ruto to look into the edible oil scandal, the KEMSA saga and other high profile corrupt deals in this young government,” she said.
Nyando MP Jared Okello on his side told the government to stop belittling the stature of Raila.
Okello says Raila is a household name in the global map and should not be intimidated by threats of arrest.
“The Right Honorable Raila Odinga is not a village chief, he is a global icon and anything that happens to him will attract global condemnation,” he said.
Raila who was highly expected in the event failed to show up.