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Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya coalition leader Raila Odinga has criticized President William Ruto’s warning against investors he recently described as sugar cartels.

President Ruto on Monday, August 28, declared war on businessmen fighting over the control of Mumias Sugar Company and ordered them to withdraw all pending court cases and leave.

In what Raila and his allies in the opposition perceive as apparent death threats, the Head of State gave the investors three options.

“We will not entertain any court cases. They should withdraw the cases or go themselves. I told them there are only three things. If they want to cause trouble, either they leave the country or I will take them to jail or they go to heaven,” a tough-talking Ruto said.

Raila on Saturday termed the president’s remarks as careless talk.

“If someone powerful gives a person three options, is that good leadership? We do not want to witness such threats. That is careless talk,” Raila said.

The opposition leader was speaking during the burial of long-serving Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Chairman Rajabu Mwondi at Kapchemugung Secondary School in Vihiga County.

He urged COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli, who attended the function, to talk to his friend (Ruto) to stop the threats.

“Atwoli tell your friend to cease. We do not want such talk. We want to move on in peace, love and unity,” Raila stated.”

Atwoli had earlier, in his speech, defended Ruto’s remarks, saying the president had the blessings of Kenyans in the fight against graft.

“Ruto is saying what Kenyans want to hear. There are so many people engaged in graft and they need such a person to deal with them and we will push him to deal with them. This country is bigger than all of us,” Atwoli stated.

President Ruto warned the investors in question during his five-day tour of the Western region.

Speaking in Bungoma, President Ruto accused influential businessmen of frustrating efforts to revive ailing public sugar millers in the Western region.

He also noted that the government had fresh plans to revive the cash-strapped company, including writing off its debts.

Following the stern warning by the president that he would not relent in regulating the industry to revive government-owned companies, Dubai-based firm Vartox Resources Limited and business mogul Jaswant Singh Rai recently filed notices at the Court of Appeal to withdraw the Mumias Sugar case.

The parties had lodged an appeal in relation to a lease awarded to Ugandan-based Sarrai Group to manage Mumias Sugar Company after it was placed under receivership.