Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga could be barred from vying for the 2022 presidency.
This is after nominated MP David Sankok on Tuesday, January 11, vowed to move to court to file a petition seeking to bar the former Prime Minister from running for the highest office on the land.
“I have prepared a battery of lawyers and am moving to court to bar Raila from contesting in the August 9, General Election as a presidential candidate,” Sankok said.
In a report by Citizen TV, Sankok a close ally of the Deputy President William Ruto argued that President Uhuru’s handshake partner has previously committed two counts of treason.
He said that the 1982 coup by Raila Odinga and the swearing-in as the People’s President in 2017 after losing the presidential race to President Uhuru Kenyatta are enough grounds to bar Raila from contesting in the 2022 General Election.
The vocal Tanga Tanga legislator argues that persons who purportedly helped Odinga during the said incidents, such as Ruaraka MP TJ Kajwang and controversial lawyer Miguna Miguna, are either facing charges in court or have been deported; as such, the ODM leader should also be held accountable.
“Does the handshake wash away all your sins? That is what we have to ask ourselves and that is why I have prepared a battery of lawyers and I am moving to court to bar Raila from contesting in August because of the treason offenses that he committed,” Sankok said.
This comes at a time when allies of presidential front runners William Ruto and Raila Odinga appear to be focusing on courts to have their main rival barred from contesting for the presidency.
On Monday, January 10, human rights activist Okiya Omtata filed a petition seeking the resignation of the Deputy President before contesting for the presidency in the 2022 elections.
