Raila Chides Ruto for Wooing Azimio Leaders to Kenya Kwanza

Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga has castigated president-elect William Ruto for engaging in what he terms as acts of impunity and disregard of the rule of law.

In a statement issued by his presidential campaign secretariat spokesperson Prof. Makau Mutua, Odinga said Ruto was “assiduously wooing some of the leaders elected as independents and on the Azimio coalition to defect to his side.”

“This is the practice that was used in the KANU era to defeat the independence of the legislature and retard the growth of multiparty democracy,” reads the statement.

Odinga stated that no Azimio constituent party has formally invoked the process of leaving the coalition hence any purported defections at this time are null and void.

“Mr. Ruto preaches water but drinks wine. He ought to know democracy requires vibrant pluralism in which different political parties compete on issues. Attempts to cannibalize Azimio by corrupting its members will not succeed,” he said.

“The law that led to the formation of Azimio La Umoja One Kenya — and its Deed of Agreement — set out the ground rules and conditions under which members can exit the coalition. There are clear guidelines. Mr. Ruto should know that it is illegal for him, or others, to induce members to purport to leave Azimio."

Odinga further urged Ruto to wait for the outcome of their court petition challenging the results of the 2022 presidential election, expressing confidence at emerging the victor.

“Mr. Ruto should not be allowed to take this country back to the old days of KANU dictatorship. He needs to stop engaging in the culture of political corruption. We know he wants to create propaganda to give the impression that he is the inevitable victor. The court will be the final arbiter on who won this election, and we are confident that we won it,” the statement added.

“Why has Mr. Ruto panicked and resorted to illegal and corrupt conduct in violation of the law? It can only be because he has sensed defeat.”

The statement comes after leaders from the United Democratic Movement (UDM), a constituent party of Azimio, ditched the coalition and joined Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza alliance.

Ruto also received a section of leaders who were elected on independent tickets into Kenya Kwanza, among them 10 Members of Parliament and one governor.