ODM leader Raila Odinga has said he will not support Migori governor Okoth Obado in the case involving the murder of Rongo University student Sharon Otieno. He said he has received many calls requesting him to stand with Obado, but “justice should take its course”.
Raila said the murder of a pregnant woman can be likened to witchcraft. Obado is admitted to Kenyatta National Hospital after he fell sick while in remand at Industrial Area prison.
“It was unfortunate that a very young woman and her angel were murdered brutally. If the killers didn’t need the child or the mother they should have spared their lives,” Raila said. He said according to the Luo culture such an act is an omen.
Raila spoke yesterday at Awendo bus park during a stopover in a two-day campaign for party candidate Ochillo Ayacko ahead of the October 8 Migori Senate by-election.
Siaya governor Cornel Rasanga invited him to speak to the crowd. Rasanga said sticking with Raila is the right thing to do. Raila said calls for a referendum which have gained momentum are tied to the Building Bridges Initiative.
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Raila said the call for a referendum is in line with his handshake with President Uhuru Kenyatta to bring peace and unity and build on the President’s legacy.
The referendum calls are to make the constitution better and stronger, and most importantly to safeguard the 2010 Constitution, Raila said.
He said the Building Bridges Initiative team will move across the country to collect views from all Kenyans on how best to change the Constitution. Raila said the initiative will seek opinions on the strength of devolution and what best can be added or removed to make it stronger and work better for people.
Other issues include the structure of the executive to lessen the burden on tax payers by gauging its cost and effectiveness. “We will also seek to safeguard environment under the referendum where Kenyans will give their views on how best to move forward on the matter,” he said.
Raila said those who are against the call for a referendum should step aside and if they do not want to “people will make sure they step aside”. In a thinly veiled attack towards Deputy President William Ruto, Raila said nobody can stop the idea “whose time has come”. ODM party chairman and Suba MP John Mbadi and national whip and Suna East MP Junet Mohammed said it was unfortunate Ruto has come out strongly to fight calls for a referendum.
“When we were passing the current Constitution in 2010, Ruto was among people who said no and were defeated in the referendum, he should prepare for the same,” Mbadi said.
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Junet said Ruto is a “small man” in national politics and “we will prove to him that calls for a referendum will sail through”.
Rongo MP Paul Abuor and his Uriri counterpart Mark Nyamita said the Monday senator by-elections in Migori county will help solidify the position of ODM in South Nyanza ahead of 2022 General Election and referendum.
“We know the deputy president has financed a candidate in the senator by-election in Migori to find a strong foothold in the region. On Monday, we are going to send to him a strong message that in Nyanza we mean business,” Abuor said.
Rasanga alleged Ruto has been financing Federal Party of Kenya candidate Eddy Gicheru and hiring him choppers for campaigns.
Gicheru denied by financed by Ruto, saying his rivals have sensed defeat.
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