Kuria: State should deal with Raila as Kagame, Museveni does with opponents

Trade and Investment Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria has come up with an idea of how the government ought to deal with opposition leader Raila Odinga. 

Kuria opined that President William Ruto's government ought to use tactics similar to those used by Rwanda's Paul Kagame and Uganda's Yoweri  Museveni to deal with Raila.

The CS was speaking on Friday in an interview with BBC’s Focus on Africa. 

When asked whether the current regime is willing to hold talks with Raila, Kuria said Raila has had it good for too long. 

"He had it with Kibaki.  Kibaki is no more. He had it with Uhuru. He will not have it again, take it from me. There’s not going to be any dividend for democracy,” the CS said.  

He also said there will be no talks between Raila and the ruling regime.

Kuria said the August 9 elections were very transparent adding that even the Supreme Court upheld the elections.

He said Raila's tactic of using violence to challenge elections will not work this time.

"Every time coming to prosecute an election, then it means that we’re going to deal with him the way Kagame deals with his opponents. The way Museveni deals with his opponent. There’s no other way,” Kuria opined. 

When asked how Kagame and Museveni deal with their opponents, Kuria said they safeguard the sovereignty and the democracy of their people. 

He termed the ongoing mass action rallies as an act of economic terrorism.

Raila had announced that his supporters will hold demos every Monday and Thursday. 

On Monday, when the mass action rallies were held, the Capital saw the closure of many businesses with Governor Johnson Sakaja decrying that it led to reduced revenue collection.