Raila Would Have Been Arrested In Another Country- PLO Lumumba
The seasoned lawyer opined that Raila would have been in serious trouble if...
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Constitutional lawyer Prof. Patrick Loch Otieno (PLO) Lumumba has commended the restraint by President William Ruto's government against threats by Azimio la Umoja leader, Raila Odinga, to lead his supporters to countrywide demonstrations on Monday, March 20.
Speaking during an interview on the Citizen TV JKLive show on Wednesday, March 15, the seasoned lawyer opined that Raila would have been in serious trouble if he replicated the same calls for maandamano (protests) in foreign countries.
Lumumba believed that the foreign nations would not hesitate to arrest him for attempting to mobilise millions of his supporters against the government in place, crediting the Kenya Kwanza government for exercising restraint under serious pressure.
Prof PLO Lumumba during an interview with Citizen TV on March 15, 2023. /CITIZEN TV
"Whether one likes President Ruto or not this government has been very restrained. In other parts of the world, Raila Odinga and his acolytes would have been arrested but the government to its credit has restrained itself from doing that," said Lumumba.
He however condemned Raila for using the mass action protests as an attempt to overthrow the government, noting that his actions are tantamount to treason.
He made reference to the demonstrations witnessed in Kisumu earlier on Wednesday which saw protesters storm an ongoing meeting at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga sports ground which was being presided over by Communications Authority (CA) Director General Ezra Chiloba, causing panic among the attendees and ransacked areas that had food, drinking water, juices and other foodstuffs.
Lumumba feared that if the demonstrations, which have since been condemned by ICT Cabinet Secretary (CS) Eliud Owalo were a precursor to Raila and his followers overrunning State House, then their move will infringe on the constitutional right to hold peaceful demonstrations and become anarchic.
"What I have seen now as a rehearsal for the march on State House is anarchy, that is not a demonstration, and that is not what is contemplated by the constitution
"You’ve seen what happened in Kisumu; if that is what is going to happen on the 20th, I dare say that the opposition led by Raila Odinga is actually saying that they are going to overthrow the government of the Republic of Kenya and that is treason," he went on.
Lumumba then gave a scenario whereby Raila and his followers follow through on their threats and breached State House, which would trigger a series of chaotic events even before it spills outside the perimeter walls of the highest house in the republic.
"If there is a march on State House on the 20th and God forbid that the mob succeeds in getting into State House and imagine that someone is shot dead and there is a stampede there will be a blood bath and Kenya will never be the same again. What happens on the 21st? What is the endgame?" he posed.
According to Lumumba, Raila should use existing institutions to hold the current regime accountable while keeping it on its toes instead of calling for mass protests.
