Ruto is plotting to kill devolution, says Raila

Opposition leader Raila Odinga yesterday criticised President William Ruto over what he termed as determination to do away with devolved system of government.

Raila accused the President of undermining structures of devolution by creating new positions of the provincial administration to the rival and weaken the positions of governors.

The creation of the positions of regional and county commissioners, Raila said, was against the 2010 Constitution as they were meant to water down the powers of elected county leaders.

Speaking during the burial of former West Mugirango MP Benson Ogero Kegoro in Borabu constituency, Raila warned that opposition leaders will not allow Ruto to sneak in issues which were thrown out with the old constitution.

He said that devolution was under threat from Ruto and urged Kenyans to rise up and resist.

“Devolution, which was brought by the new Constitution after a long struggle, is under threat because the current leadership has started sneaking in structures which went with the old constitution which was autocratic,” Raila said.

“The introduction of the positions of regional and county commissioners is an attempt to undermine and scuttle the devolved system of government,” he added.

Commit crimes

He said the same positions of the regional and county commissioners were illegally being used to demolish  Kenyans’ properties without regard of the law.

“Imagine these people are not elected by members of the public but they have overwhelming powers which they are using to commit crimes and other unlawful activities,” Raila said.

The Opposition leader said that Kenyans fought hard to put the new constitution in place but Ruto and his allies were now  rolling back the gains.

On the high cost of living, Raila accused Ruto of turning the country into a tax club which he was using to collect taxes from poor Kenyans.

He said Ruto had betrayed boda boda riders, mama mboga and other hustlers whose lives he had promised to transform if he was elected president.

Meanwhile, Raila accused the Uganda President Yoweri Museveni of oppressing the country’s opposition leader Kizza Besigye  who was also present at the burial.

“The victory of my brother Bisgye was stolen just like mine but let it be known that one day the will of the people of Uganda and Kenya will stand,” he added.

The Ugandan opposition leader accused African presidents of forming the African Union not to assist the people but to use it to oppress those who are championing for true democracy in their countries.

“African Presidents formed the African Union not with the purpose of serving their people but fighting those opposing their autocratic style of leadership,” he told the mourners.

Besigye urged Kenyans and Ugandans to be united in fighting against poor governance and dictatorship.

Narc Kenya party leader Martha Karua, who also attended the burial, asked Kenyans to rise up and reject the heavy taxes which were being imposed on them by Ruto’s government.

Karua said Ruto’s leadership had made life difficult for Kenyans.

“As opposition leaders, we can’t sit back and watch Kenyans being reduced into paupers because of heavy taxes,” she added.

Other leaders who attended the burialm of Kegoro, who was the father of human rights lawyer George Kegoro, included Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo and his Kisii counterpart Simba Arati.

Others were area Senator Okongo Omogeni, his Kisii counterpart Richard Onyonka and MPs Steve Mogaka (West Mugirango), Patrick Osero (Borabu), Nyamira Deputy Governor James Gesami and former Kisii Senator Sam Ongeri.