Nairobi — President William Ruto has dared Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Leader Raila Odinga to make good on his threat to stage demonstrations across the country protesting the removal of four embattled commissioners at the Independent Electoral Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
President Ruto directed Interior Cabinet Secretary Kindiki Kithure to accord the Odinga led coalition ample security commencing December 7 as they demonstrated in various parts of the country.
The President during an interdenominational church service in Embu County directed CS Kindiki to ensure that the Odinga-led protest did not disrupt businesses of hardworking Kenyans.
"I have told Kindiki to ask the opposition people for their schedule for demonstrations so that we give them enough police officers to ensure they don't loot from businesses," Ruto said.
Odinga has protested President William Ruto's move to suspend the four who differed with IEBC chair Wafula Chebukati over the August polls results.
He condemned the suspension of Juliana Cherera, Justus Nyang'aya, Francis Wanderi and Irene Masit as political.
The Head of State confidently stated that his administration is ready to condone with the demonstration even in the event they are staged daily or monthly.
"We are used to these people and I want to assure Kenyans that the plan we have to change the economy will continue whether we have protest or not. We know the Azimio coalition doesn't want this country to progress, they want Kenyans to remain poor," Ruto stated.
President Ruto alluded that the current strides by the ruling party to deliver on its promises has irked the Odinga coalition and now they are intending to stage demonstration to destabilize the nation.
"Let them plan their things but I want to promise them that Kenya will not be the same. You will not blackmail this nation and threaten the people of Kenya.We are determined to move the country forward and you will not hold us back," he said.
On his part, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua insisted that the Kenya Kwanza Administration will not be cowed into a handshake government with Odinga.
Gachagua who accompanied the President stated that Azimio can go ahead and stage demonstration across the country over the besieged IEBC commissioners but they will not be blackmailed to truce a deal.
"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 President William Ruto administration 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 coalition has the freedom to demonstrate and they will be accorded enough security as long as they don't engage in looting and disruption of 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 December 7 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.
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.
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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.
