By After his successful swearing in ceremony held on January 30, 2018, Raila Odinga, Kenya’s main opposition leader continues to vow on not giving up his title as the People’s President despite threats from Uhuru kenyatta’s Jubilee ruling party.
Mr. Odinga swore that he will not be intimidated by threats from the Government into quitting his responsibilities, and hence continue serving the title he swore in as.
Addressing mourners during the burial of the father to Philip Etale, the ODM Director of Communication, in Emsakhami in Vihiga County on Saturday, the NASA Chief held that he is not scared of the Government’s attacks against and facing him, including detention and charging him with treason regarding his swearing in last month.
The opposition head went ahead and clarified that his role as the People’s President, is to fight for the rights of all Kenyans and making sure that they get the justice they deserve.
‘I will not be intimidated and I will continue to work as the “People’s President” of the Republic of Kenya,’ said Mr. Odinga.
The opposition leader also took up some time to address the mourners criticizing the Uhuru Kenyatta Government for defying the Court order to have the private television stations re-opened.
It is remembered that during the Raila Odinga swearing in ceremony last month, all the TV stations in Kenya were banned by the Government from covering the occasion, since it was considered illegal and termed it as a treasonous act.
However, four TV stations including; Citizen TV, NTV, Inooro TV and KTN News TV stations covered the ceremony live on air, leading to their shut down by the Government since January 30.
After the stations’ closure, the bosses made a joint petition to the country’s High Court to have their stations re-opened. After the Court’s hearing, the Court ordered the Government to lift the ban on the TV stations, an order that the Government defied until date.
Despite interventions from different organizations and States around the World to have the stations re-opened, the Kenyatta Government turns a deaf ear.
‘We are concerned that three TV stations remain suspended until today in Kenya after the Government accused them of “complicity” for airing footage of opposition leader Raila Odinga’s inauguration ceremony,’ Colville was quoted as saying last week, reacting to the situation in Kenya.
Rupert Colville is the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Nevertheless, after the Government’s move to not re-open the stations, Okiya Omtatah, the activist who helped the TV stations’ bosses issue a petition in the Court, moved back to the Court on Monday, February 5, and sued the Government for contempt of Court.
Referring to the current sources, on Friday, February 9, charges were raised against the Interior CS Fred Matiang’i and his ICT counterpart Joe Mucheru, for ignoring the Court’s order to switch back on, the TV stations they switched off earlier.
Reporter: Shamilah Namuddu