Raila Odinga has rubbished reported plans by President William Ruto’s administration to have him banned from traveling overseas.
According to media sources, the government wants the West to impose sanctions against the opposition leader should he proceed with his plans for mass action.
“You cannot earn the respect of the international community when you are busy trying to cause civil strife in your country. (President Robert) Mugabe of Zimbabwe was a respected democrat but when he started undermining the same democratic tenets, the international community placed tough sanctions against him. Raila has earned a name for himself for being a democrat. But if he starts behaving like a rebel, we will ask the international community to punish him,” said National Assembly Deputy Majority Leader Owen Baya.
Defence and Foreign Relations Committee chairman Nelson Koech added: “It is not unusual for governments across the world, in pursuit of their national interests and global order, to place sanctions on individuals and organisations with a high appetite for causing political and economic instability. The globalisation of markets and production means the international community has insurable interests in Kenya’s political and economic stability. Anybody who attempts to cause instability in the globalisation matrix will soon find himself isolated and swimming with sharks in dark cold waters.”
But speaking in Kitale town Sunday, Raila Odinga said the plans by Kenya Kwanza are merely hot air and acts of cowardice.
“Article 34 of the constitution gives Kenyans the freedom to express themselves and to picket and we shall fight for our rights whether they like it or not,” he said.
The ODM leader told Western countries to ignore such calls, cautioning them not to interfere with the country’s internal affairs.
“We respect our friendly countries. We have had and continue having a cordial relationship with our friends, but they should also know that our internal affairs must be dealt with by ourselves,” he said.
Raila Odinga maintained he won the August 2022 presidential election.
“Why are they afraid of having the IEBC servers opened? They know what is in those servers and the truth is we won the election free and square,” Raila told the cheering crowd.
The former Prime Minister said he will not back down until his alleged victory is given back to him.
