Raila calls for review of current laws to tackle country’s mess
By Kepher Otieno, July 29, 2024In a fresh move aimed at sanitizing problems affecting the country, Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya Coalition Party leader Raila Odinga now wants the current laws repealed.
Raila disclosed that there was a need to review the 2010 Constitution of Kenya so that they can retain what is working for the country and delete or suggest new working laws.
“Some of the clauses contained in the current constitution have proved hard to implement. Some have worked well for us,’’ he said without giving the details.
Raila told Kenyans that they should brace for a new constitutional dispensation by re-looking at the current laws which were feasible and or not, and suggest new viable ones.
He spoke in Siaya County on Saturday, during the burial of an advocate of the High Court Evans Oruenjo Umidha, son of vocal politician Urwenjo Umidha.
Raila claimed that the original Bomas draft of the constitution was altered during its second review in Naivasha and wanted Kenyans to revert to the Bomas Draft Constitution.
“I want us to go back to the Bomas Draft constitution, so that we can have a progressive constitution. The other one was bastadized at Naivasha. It was mutilated,’’ he claimed
Raila noted there are critical issues that need to be discussed in the wake of the current protests sparked by the Gen Z across the country on Governance and accountability
“First is the issue of governance. We have a new constitution, but we are not actually following that constitution to the latter,’’ he said.
Legislated clauses
Raila revealed that there was a raft of legislated clauses in the Constitution that were still pending implementation.
Already, together with President Ruto, allies are proposing a seven-year term for Senators in a Bill that also seeks to establish the position of Prime Minister and Official leader of the Opposition in the Constitution of Kenya, Amendment Bill, 2023.
They are also proposing new oversight funds for the Senate to improve on the oversight role for the 47 counties and to hold the Governors who have been on the spot for corruption to spend the public resources efficiently and equitably as the law posits.
This is why Raila insisted on a fresh review of the Constitution.“Kenyans met at the Bomas of Kenya and deliberated for a very long time and came up with a very progressive constitution. But we are yet to fully tap its fruits,” Raila stated.
Raila who is also The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader noted that the Bomas draft constitution was holding viable proposals that can be harnessed and used.
“We must go back to the Bomas draft constitution, put it back on the table and see what On the Gen Z protests, Raila also said he is in support of the demands made by the Gen Zs through their protests, arguing that they are the demands of Kenyans
“We want a new Kenya. The people of Kenya deserve a new Kenya. We support the Gen Z demands; they are the demands of Kenyans,’’ he reposted this on his X space Account.
Raila also maintained that the ODM party is still in the opposition and that they had not dissolved into the Kenya Kwanza outfit as alleged by some of their political adversaries. He clarified that the opposition has not dissolved and that if the President William Ruto needs the services of some of the ODM experts, then as a patriot he has released them.
“But they must be given ample time by the Executive to work freely governed by the ideals and/or the ethics of the Orange party,’’ said Raila.
Rather than appoint Cabinet secretaries from his ruling party only, the President who is the symbol of national unity, settled for an amicable consensus building to unite Kenyans.
He gave four posts to the opposition – including the powerful finance and energy ministries, in what was seen as a move aimed at deflating national tension on inequity.