• On the renewed bipartisan talks, the Azimio leader rubbished claims by a section of leaders in Kenya Kwanza that he was fighting for nusu mkate.
• Raila insisted that his victory was stolen during the August 9, 2022 presidential elections.
Image: MARTIN OMBIMA
Political temperature went high during the funeral service of the late former Cotu chairman Rajab Mwondi in Vihiga subcounty on Saturday as leaders from Azimio and Kenya Kwanza traded barbs.
The Azimio camp led by Raila Odinga, ODM deputy party leader Wycliffe Oparanya, Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi and Makadara MP George Aladwa went ham on the Kenya Kwanza government.
In his address to mourners, Raila Odinga pointed fingers at President William Ruto over his recent remarks against what he termed as sugar cartels.
The President told the purported sugar cartels to either leave Kenya, go to jail or to heaven.
Raila termed the President's remarks as unfortunate coming from the Head of State.
"Mtu anakuja alafu anatisha watu anasema ati wewe utahama, nitakuweka jela au utaenda kwa Mungu, hayo ni mazungumzo ya aina gani? he posed.
(Someone comes and tells you you have to leave, he will put you in jail or you will go to heaven. What kind of talk is that?)
"Sasa Kenya hii imekuwa ni yake anakuambia wewe toka na umezaliwa hapa Kenya hii, uhame uende wapi? Hiyo ni utawala wa aina gani hio?" Raila added.
(Has this country now become his that he should tell you to leave yet you were born here, move to where? What type of leadership is that?)
On the renewed bipartisan talks, the Azimio leader rubbished claims by a section of leaders in Kenya Kwanza that he was fighting for nusu mkate.
Raila insisted that his victory was stolen during the August 9, 2022 presidential elections.
"I don’t want to go into many issues of what's expected by partisan talks, let the talks now take place first,” Raila said.
The Opposition leader also pointed fingers at Cotu boss Francis Atwoli whom he accused of abandoning workers and siding with the government.
"Atwoli should have been at the forefront of leading the anti- government protests in unison with suffering Kenyans," Raila said.
However, Atwoli dismissed the claims saying that the opposition should come to terms that they lost the elections to President William Ruto.
"We should not live in denial, let's accept we lost to Ruto and he is the President of the republic of Kenya," Atwoli said.
On the same note, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi urged the people of Western Kenya to focus and remain in the government.
He reminded the opposition that the elections are over and the government was now focused on the delivery of development projects.
The Prime CS took a swipe at the Opposition over their insistence on the reconstitution of the IEBC saying they would still beat them in 2027.
"If we won the election with President William Ruto and by then we were outside the government, do you think in 2027 they can win?” Mudavadi posed.
"My people, tell other people out there we are the ones in charge of the government. Come join us and be part of this government,” Mudavadi said.
His sentiments were echoed by Atwoli who said the Azimio camp on whose side he was during the August polls lost the presidency because of poor logistical planning.
He said Azimio lost the race because they failed to deploy agents in polling stations.
"We pushed Ruto out of the system and we had all it takes to ensure we take the government but we failed," Atwoli said.