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Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya Coalition Party Leader Raila Odinga on Sunday, October 22, 2023, vowed to continue piling pressure on the government to deliver on its campaign promises.

Speaking during a church service in Kajiado, the opposition chief affirmed that he would not be silenced and betray millions of Kenyans grappling with the harsh economic times occasioned by, among others, punitive taxes.

“We won’t tolerate their (government) attempts to silence us. I can’t keep quiet… I can’t be silenced. I will continue to speak on behalf of Kenyans and defend the rights of Kenyan citizens because Kenyans fought for freedom with their blood,” Raila said.

He claimed that two arms of government, the Legislature and the Judiciary, had been captured by the Executive.

“Parliament has been held captive. MPs earn money and do no work. Today, a Bill is tabled and passed within five minutes. The MPs are told there is no time to debate. When we were in the parliament, we used to debate on a single Bill for at least a week,” Raila said while reacting to the four Bills on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) signed into law last Thursday.

“The Judiciary is also held captive… The courts failed to stop ongoing demolitions in Mavoko because orders came from State House,” Raila alleged adding that the country was sliding back into the dark days.

Raila condemns Mavoko demolitions

At the same time, the former prime minister accused the government of being insensitive regarding the demolition of homes on East Africa Portland Cement land in Athi River, Machakos County.

Raila termed the demolitions as inhumane even as he accused President Ruto of reneging on his campaign promises of not allowing such evictions.

“We are telling the government to respect the rights of the people occupying the property,” Raila stated.

The Azimio leader’s remarks come barely a week after he was blocked from visiting the site of the demolitions alongside Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti and other politicians allied to the opposition.

In a statement moments after being turned away on Tuesday, the leaders vowed to help the Athi River victims get justice.

“The Kenya Kwanza administration must immediately halt any further demolitions. It must share with the victims and the country the immediate plans to pay compensation for property that has been unlawfully destroyed and to find alternative settlement for the victims,” Raila stated.

“This brutality will not go unchallenged. This brutality will have to be answered for and accounted for. If the government does not act, we will help the people to act.”