Will Uhuru’s Gov’t Arrest Raila? Raphael Tuju answers BBC

mary kulundu

February 9, 2018 10:48 AM

Raphael Tuju answers the tough question on Raila's arrest

Jubilee Secretary General Raphael Tuju was pinned down during an interview on BBC Africa to answer whether President Uhuru Kenyatta-led Government was planning to arrest National Super Alliance (NASA) leader Raila Odinga for illegally swearing himself in as the People’s President.

"Will you arrest him?" The BBC journalist asked.

"That is not my province to discuss,” Mr. Tuju answered.

The BBC journalist wondered why the Government was hesitant to put the Former Prime Minister into custody yet it had accused him (Odinga) of committing high treason.

Instead, the former Rarieda MP stated that the Interior and Coordination Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i was the only man who can issue the orders.

"If he has committed high treason according to your Government shouldn’t he be arrested?" BBC probed.

"Well, that is up to the minister and the department which deals with criminal issues to discuss,” the Jubilee Secretary General stated.

Media Shut down

During the interview, Tuju, who is a former journalist, supported the media shut down directed by CS Matiang’i in a bid to stop live broadcasting of the swearing-in of Mr. Odinga.

While defending the Government's actions, he accused media of colluding with the Opposition to cause anarchy in the country.

"So when you have a media that is an extension of the opposition propaganda, and judges who have more loyalties to their tribes than the law, we have more complex matters to deal with compared to what you have to deal with in London." he said.

He also claimed that the Judiciary was working in favour of NASA stating: "We have a judiciary which is a reflection of the society but judges make decisions based on ethnic loyalties as opposed to the law”.

Raila is desperate

Tuju described Odinga’s swearing-in as a desperate move adding that the NASA leader knew there is nothing much left for him in the political realm.

"We are dealing with a very desperate man because it is on record, he said that himself that this was his last time to run for the Presidency. He has advanced in age and this is his last term,” Tuju said.

mary kulundu