Home » Okiya Omtata wants William Ruto resign ahead of August 9 elections

Okiya Omtata wants William Ruto resign ahead of August 9 elections

by Enock Ndayala

Rights activist Okiya Omtata has filed a petition seeking the resignation of public officers seeking to succeed retiring President Uhuru Kenyatta to resign including Deputy President William Ruto.

In a case filed on Monday, January 10, under certificate of urgency, Omtatah wants any public officer, a sitting deputy president, governor, deputy governor, Member of Parliament, and a sitting MCA to vacate office before nomination as a presidential candidate.

“A declaration be and is hereby issued that a sitting president, a sitting deputy president, a sitting governor, and a sitting deputy governor must vacate office before they can be elected to elective positions other than the ones they hold,” he said in the petition.

Okiya Omtata wants William Ruto resign ahead of August 9 elections
Rights activist Okiya Omtatah has filed a petition seeking the resignation of public officers seeking to succeed retiring President Uhuru Kenyatta to resign including Deputy President William Ruto. Photo: Star

According to Omtata, it is discriminatory to require public servants to resign, if they want to seek the elective seats as per Section 43(5) & (5A) of the Elections Act while allowing those elected to continue serving.

The vocal activists further argue that the Elections Act contradicts the provisions of Article 83(3) of the Constitution tent to deny eligible public officers the right to seek elective seats.

“Public officers, like other citizens, have freedom of expression, of demonstration and the rights of every Kenyan citizen ―to campaign for a political party or cause and ―to be a candidate for public office. These rights may be limited, but only for a good reason,” Okiya Omtata said.

This comes barely days after Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria suggested that professionals working both in the private and public sector be allowed back to work should they lose in the upcoming elections.

“To derisk our politics for professionals, anyone in the private and public sector should get leave of duty to enable them to vie. If they win they resign. If they lose they go back to their jobs,” he said.

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