Raila Odinga and his running mate Kalonzo Musyoka. [Photo/ zipo.co.ke]
A brave voter is seeking to stop NASA presidential candidate Raila Odinga’s ambition to keep the country in a political crisis. Mr Samuel Waweru Gikuru wants Raila and his running mate, Kalonzo Musyoka, investigated for threatening to boycott the October 26 repeat election and for intimidating IEBC officers. Already, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Keriako Tobiko, has directed the police to investigate the two opposition leaders and report back within three weeks. Lawyer Harrison Kinyanjui, acting for the voter, had demanded that Raila and Kalonzo be arrested and prosecuted for breaching sections of the Election Offences Act. The petitioner argues that the opposition leaders have broken Section 131 and 132 of the Penal Code in their spirited efforts to harass and intimidate election officials. Section 132 says: “Any person who, without lawful excuse, the burden of proof whereof shall lie upon him, utters, prints, publishes any words, or does any act or thing, calculated to bring into contempt, or to excite defiance employed in the public service of or disobedience to, the lawful authority of a public officer or any class of public officers is guilty of an offence and is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years.”Mr Gikuru represents the voice of millions of Kenyans who have faulted Raila for putting his selfish interests ahead of the country’s economy and livelihoods of the people of Kenya. Already, the United Nations has cancelled a high-profile event that was set to be hosted in Nairobi because of the tense political situation. Weeks ago, the state of political uncertainty led the Federation of African Football (CAF) to strip Kenya the rights to host the 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN). The full effects of Raila’s actions will be felt in the coming days, but top economists are warning that the country’s GDP growth may slow down markedly if the situation continues. Kenyans want to vote and move on with their lives. This stalemate does not put food on their tables. Raila and Kalonzo need to realise Kenya is bigger than their ambitions. For how long will they continue to hold the country at ransom?