Thursday July 25, 2024 – Just after forming a Government of National Unity with ODM Leader Raila Odinga, President William Ruto and his Deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, now face a real danger.
This is after 14 Kenyans filed a petition at the High Court in Nairobi, seeking orders to pave the way for a referendum to oust Ruto and Gachagua from office.
In their case, the petitioners argued that the president and his deputy had violated the constitution by allowing extrajudicial killings of the anti-government protesters by police officers.
The President was also faulted for ordering the deployment of military officers against protesting civilians, which the petitioners argued was unconstitutional.
"In a constitutional democracy, there can be no justification for the President to deploy the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) to prevent unarmed citizens," the petitioners argued.
“This Petition seeks judicial intervention to prevent the current socio-political crisis from spiraling out of control and to preserve the constitutional order."
The petitioners warn that the unresolved economic crisis following the withdrawal of the Finance Bill could quickly push Kenya toward a state collapse similar to Sri Lanka, Lebanon, or Sudan.
Ruto was also accused of labelling and demeaning the protestors as saboteurs, treason mongers, and faceless anarchists despite agitation for a better Kenya.
The petitioners thus demanded the court's directive to authorize a referendum to oust President Ruto and his deputy through a popular vote.
A plea was also made to the court to quash the agreement reached between President Ruto and US President Joe Biden to make Kenya a non-NATO ally of the US.
The petitioners further demanded a directive for the withdrawal of the military officers from the streets during the anti-government demonstrations.
0 Comments