Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has faulted Opposition leader Raila Odinga for expelling five Members of Parliament from the Orange Democratic Movement party over their association with the ruling party side.
Speaking in Kericho County during a funeral service, the Deputy President said Odinga’s move shows he was also not genuine with the agenda of the national dialogue committee.
“He is going through the Tanzania President and former Nigeria President Obasanjo asking for talks with President Ruto. But when ODM MPs meet the President he expels them from the party, is he really genuine? He is not genuine about any dialogue or discussion. If he is genuine, why is he punishing ODM MPs who have come to sit with President Ruto,” said Gachagua.
The DP defended the expelled lawmakers, saying they met the President to deliberate on economic development agenda in their areas of jurisdiction.
Rigathi questioned why Odinga did not take issue with the decision of Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka to attend a meeting at State House Nairobi recently.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International Kenya wants the National Dialogue Committee to recommend to National Assembly to review the Public Order Act.
In its memorandum to the committee on the last day of receiving proposals from various stakeholders, the organization said the review should make the act conform with Article 24 of the constitution regarding the justifiable limitation of the right to peaceful assembly as enshrined in the Constitution.
It accused the police of extra-judicial killings and using excessive force during the recent opposition protests, and called on the committee to conduct a fact-finding mission in the worst-hit areas of Nairobi, Kisumu, Migori, Nakuru, Mombasa, Machakos, and Homabay to ensure justice is served.
The organization at the same time called for the operationalization of the Prevention of Torture Act, and the National Coroners Service Act to criminalize all forms of torture, as well as establish a forensic medical office to investigate all violent, sudden, and suspicious deaths.
The eight-member technical committee on National Dialogue is now set to harmonize key proposals as the window for collecting public views ends and submit its report on Monday.
