Nairobi — Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has insisted that the Kenya Kwanza Administration will not be cowed into a handshake government with opposition leader Raila Odinga.
Gachagua who was speaking during an interdenominational service in Embu County on Sunday stated that Azimio can go ahead and stage demonstration across the country over the besieged Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commissioners but they will not be blackmailed to a deal.
Odinga has protested President William Ruto's move to suspend the four who differed with IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati over the August 9 election results.
He condemned the suspension of Juliana Cherera, Justus Nyang'aya, Francis Wanderi and Irene Masit terming them as political.
"The aim of Odinga is to sell fear to President William Ruto so that he can be called for a handshake. We urge you our President; we don't want that man Raila in our government. Let him demonstrate from Morning to Evening but we will not offer a handshake to him," he said.
The Deputy President asserted that the Opposition should execute their mandate outside government by ensuring the government delivers on its pledges.
"We have enough people to give jobs and if the President wants people to help him even here in Embu. We are telling the good old man that there will be no handshake, we are only interested in handshake with hustlers to give them hustler fund," Gachagua noted.
The Second in Command pointed out that the Azimio La Umoja coalition has the freedom to demonstrate and they will be accorded enough security as long as they don't engage in looting and disrupting peace.
"As long as they don't steal from our business they can make noise from morning to evening. President William Ruto cannot be intimidated by fear," Gachagua stated.
The Odinga-led Azimio La Umoja Coalition has threatened to stage demonstration from 7th December to protest the ouster of the besieged commissioners.
The announcement came after deliberations among Azimio leaders during a coalition Parliamentary Group meeting.
"Our stand remains that the focus on the four commissioners is not about the 2022 elections. It is about the 2027 elections whose rigging the Ruto regime is putting in place in 2022," they claimed.
On Friday, President Ruto formed a nine member team tribunal investigating the commissioners will be chaired by High Court Judge Aggrey Muchelule.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Others enlisted to be part of the tribunal include; Carolyne Kamende Daudi,Linda Gakii Kiome,Mathew Njaramba Nyabena,Col. (Rtd.) Saeed Khamis Saeed,Kibet Kirui Emmanuel and Irene Tunta Nchoe.
The lead counsel of the tribunal is Peter Munge Murage who will be assisted by Zamzam Abdi Abib.
The tribunal is required to expeditiously conclude the hearing and report of its findings which are binding, with the President expected to act on them within 30 days.
"In the discharge of its functions, the Tribunal shall--(a) Prepare and submit a report and its recommendations thereon expeditiously; and (b) Exercise all the powers conferred upon it by law for the proper execution of its mandate," read the gazette notice.
The tribunal is expected to consider four petitions filed against the besieged commissioners and establish whether there were serious violations of the constitution and gross misconduct they had committed.
"... .being members of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, be and are hereby suspended from office with immediate effect; and a Tribunal to inquire into the matter be and is hereby appointed," stated the gazette notice.
