Editor's Review

The response comes after Raila held a press conference on Thursday during which he castigated Ruto for targeting the four IEBC commissioners.


President William Ruto has hit back at ODM leader Raila Odinga over his criticism of the government regarding the parliamentary process that seeks to have four IEBC commissioners removed from office.

The four are Vice chairperson Juliana Cherera and commissioners Francis Wanderi, Irene Masit and Justus Nyang'aya are facing petitions for their removal from office.

The President in a tweet on Friday morning told off the opposition saying the rule of law must be allowed to take its course.

ODM leader Raila Odinga addressing a press conference on Thursday, November 24. PHOTO | RAILA ODINGA/TWITTER
The President said the officials who risked putting the nation in danger for subverting the democratic will of the people must pay the ultimate price.

"The lords of impunity, who destroyed oversight institutions using the handshake fraud, should allow parliament to hold rogue officials who put the nation in danger by subverting the democratic will of the people to be held to account. The new order is the RULE of LAW not the wishes of big men," the President tweeted.

The response comes after Raila held a press conference on Thursday during which he castigated Ruto for targeting the four IEBC commissioners.

The ODM leader who was in the company of his Wiper counterpart and Narc Kenya leader  Martha Karua accused Ruto of seeking revenge through the four commissioners.

Raila had said by summoning the commissioners, Parliament is usurping the role of a tribunal.

"They are trying to prejudice whatever tribunal could be formed. Parliament roles must be limited to summoning the petitioners and deciding whether the issues raised warrant the setting up of a tribunal," he said.

Raila said the conduct of IEBC was part of the election petition and none of the commissioners was found to have committed any offence but Chebukati.

"Only IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati was found to have acted unilaterally, this problem is therefore politically motivated and a continuation of the witchhunt mission that President Ruto is on," he said.

"It will turn into a native partisan fight."