{William Ruto has warned Cord leader Raila Odinga over planned mass action against the new security laws.
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At the same time, the opposition indicated that it will be seeking the removal of Speaker Justin Muturi over alleged incompetence.
Speaking in Uasin Gishu yesterday, Ruto told Raila that he should respect the constitution, stick to the law and avoid situations that can cause chaos in the country.
Ruto said the country is still in the process of recovering from the 2007-08 post-poll violence and there was no need for leaders to start planning street demonstrations over security laws that are aimed at ensuring the safety of all Kenyans.
“We are in the process of reconciling Kenyans and there is absolutely no need for our friends in the opposition to start talking of mass action,” said Ruto, adding that the chaos witnessed in Parliament should not be extended to the public by the opposition leaders.
He spoke at AIC Ziwa in Uasin Gishu county during a church service.
On Saturday, Raila said Cord will move to court over the new laws as well as resort to mass action to ensure the gains of the new constitution are not eroded by the Jubilee government.
“With this Bill, the Jubilee government is geared towards killing democracy and oppressing the people, just as we saw in the era of Kanu, where people like me were jailed for years without trial. It is time the leaders woke up and rescued this nation from the hands of tyrants,” Raila said.
Raila was addressing mourners at the funeral of Magdalene Akinyi Anyanga, the mother of Nyatike MP Edick Anyanga, at the Lwanda Konyango Centre.
But the Deputy President said the country cannot be allowed to head back to street demonstrations. “We cannot head to the direction of street demos again. Let those in the opposition stop misleading Kenyans,” declared the DP.
Ruto, who was with his wife Rachel, says the demonstrations strategy was just a way of diverting Kenyans from the internal wrangles which the opposition parties face.
“They will achieve nothing by taking the chaos we have seen to the streets,” said Ruto.
Meanwhile, the Cord leadership put final touches on a petition it will lodge at the Supreme Court challenging the new laws as well as seeking the removal of Muturi as Speaker of the National Assembly.
Cord argues that Muturi presided over a nullity on Thursday.
According to the draft petition, which the Star has seen, Cord wants the Supreme Court to declare Muturi unsuitable for public office.
The Bill was passed acrimoniously by the House, in the midst of chaotic and ugly scenes as MPs fought each other in full view of the Speaker.
The Star
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