•Raila said members of the syndicate are busy buying elected leaders of rival parties in a bid to kill democracy and continue corruption activities.
•He spoke at the KICC moments after filing his presidential petition to overturn Ruto's win at the August polls.
Image: RAILA ODINGA/TWITTER
Azimio la Umoja presidential candidate Raila Odinga has said corruption cartels who have infiltrated Kenya's electoral system must be stopped.
In a thinly veiled attack on President-elect William Ruto, Raila said members of the syndicate are busy buying elected leaders of rival parties in a bid to kill democracy and continue corruption activities unchecked by a weakened Opposition.
"We have seen the speed at which they have moved to buy elected leaders within just one week after being denied the numbers at lower level elections like members of national assemblies, members of county assemblies and governors,' Raila said.
He spoke at the KICC moments after filing his presidential petition to overturn Ruto's win at the August polls.
Ruto has in recent days wooed a number of elected politicians to his Kenya Kwanza camp.
While announcing their partnership, he said the group of MPs has agreed to work with him in delivering his manifesto to Kenyans.
They include ten Independent MPs and all leaders elected under the United Democratic Movement (UDM) party.
Meru governor-elect Kawira Mwangaza also pledged to work with Ruto.
Without mentioning names, Raila said such political gimmicks are aimed at ensuring corruption at all echelons of government continues undeterred.
"The corruption cartels know there are multiple benefits for them if they take over," he said.
Raila said the cartels if allowed to continue, will gain a stronghold in the government and continue their illegal activities that he said include drug trafficking.
"They will access intelligence information for more corruption, they will gain protection from the police for their leaders and illegal activities," Raila said.
"They will institute weaker or no restrictions for their money laundering and will ensure nobody else but them thrives."
He termed the cartel's quest to remain in control as a profitable do-or-die venture which will mark the beginning of the end of Kenya.
Raila said no country captured either by corruption, drug, gun or terror has ever thrived or realized its full potential.
The ODM leader said the filing of the presidential petition marks the beginning of the quest to stop the cartel from establishing itself further.
"We refuse to let Kenya go that direction. It must not happen and it will not happen," Raila said.
Raila has been a fierce critic of Ruto over the years since they fell out during the grand coalition government.
Raila, then a prime minister, fired Ruto from his ministerial portfolio as Agriculture minister following a maize scandal.
He has since then berated the outgoing DP as one unfit to rule the country.