Raila Odinga Campaign Secretariat spokesperson Makau Mutua has accused President-Elect William Ruto of engaging in acts of impunity and disregard for the rule of law.

In a press release sent to newsrooms, the accomplished lawyer claims that Ruto is currently wooing leaders elected as Independents and on the Azimio Coalition to defect to his political formation.

The defections, he says, are a rebirth of retrogressive political strategies that were employed by the late President Daniel Moi to achieve a majority in Parliament.

“This is the practice that was used in the KANU era to defeat the independence of the legislature and retard the growth of multiparty democracy,” the press release read in part.

Mutua averred that Ruto’s moves are in vain since there are clearly set out rules and conditions that guide defection from coalition parties.

“The law that led to the formation of Azimio La Umoja One Kenya — and its Deed of Agreement — set out the ground rules and conditions under which members can exit the coalition. There are clear guidelines.

“Ruto should know that it is illegal for him, or others, to induce members to purport to leave Azimio. No member of Azimio has legally invoked the process of leaving the coalition. All the members who signed as original members are still members in good standing. So, any purported defections are a legal nullity,” the press release read further.

Ruto’s Attempts to Return Corrupt Culture of Political Defections @JunetMohamed pic.twitter.com/ejLvu1UnKD

— Prof Makau Mutua (@makaumutua) August 19, 2022

Mutua further stated that the President-Elect should not be allowed to take the country back to the old days of the KANU dictatorship. He claims that the outgoing Deputy President is wooing defectors to his side to create propaganda that he is the inevitable victor in the disputed 2022 presidential elections.