Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga is faced with a new impediment in his presidential bid after a petition was filed at the High Court seeking to block his candidature in the August 9 polls over the alleged treasonous act of his swearing-in.
George Bush and John Kenga, petitioning want the court to declare Raila unfit to contest for the country’s top seat, stating that his actions on January 30, 2018, amounted to treason.
The petitioners in their court documents argue that it would be unlawful for the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party presidential aspirant to run for office yet he had taken part in an unlawful act.
Bush and Kenga went on to ask the court to determine the petition on time before the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) clears Raila to run.
Since if allowed to vie they claim, it would create a bad precedent for other candidates.
“The application will be overtaken by events if the sixth and seventh respondents are not immediately barred from participating in any electoral activities until proven guilty,” the petitioners stated.
Raila while responding through his lawyers asked the court to dismiss the petition stating that the court lacked jurisdiction to make a determination on the case related to treason.
“The issues raised in the application are allegations pertaining to treason and, therefore, criminal in nature and this court lacks jurisdiction to hear and determine criminal matters,” Raila argued.
Adding that there were no investigations into the matter and he should not be deemed guilty before being charged by the state.
Previously, Raila disclosed that many allies of President Uhuru Kenyatta wanted him charged with treason though the President had mercy on him.
“Uhuru was being told that Raila had gone overboard by the swearing-in act which amounted to treason. They told him that I should be charged and hanged at Kamiti prison. Even though Uhuru declined the calls. We later met and had a lengthy discussion and we decided Kenya was bigger than all of us,” Raila stated.
This comes just days before the deadline of issuance by political parties of names for presidential and running mates of each party before the IEBC can declare them eligible or not.
