Former West Pokot governor Mr John Lonyangapuo has dismissed the planned demonstrations by Azimio leader Raila Odinga.
Mr Lonyangapuo said that it was the height of misplaced priority for a leader of Raila’s stature to call for demonstrations as the only way to oppose the government – urging the five times presidential candidate to let the elected leaders work.
“Azimio is calling for anti-Ruto protest rallies and to me, this is a misplaced agenda,” Mr John Lonyangapuo said during an interview with a local television.
He said that elected leaders, irrespective of their political affiliation, have the mandate to lead the country and therefore should be given a chance. Mr John Lonyangapuo further said that Azimio affiliate parties were not consulted over the planned demos and therefore they’re not party to any of the planned rallies.
“We have come out to dissociate ourselves with the approach that is being introduced now where in our Azimio coalition there was no consultation,” he said.
“The Azimio coalition represents the greatest threat to democracy, the rule of law, and national cohesion in our nation’s recent history. Arising thereof, today we lay bare the instrument that was meant to hold the coalition together and to guide our path forward so that Kenyans may see the deceitful nature of the current arrangement.”
But in a rejoinder, the (KUP) Kenya Union Party deputy party leader, and member of parliament for Pokot South, Mr David Pkosing, dismissed assertions by Lonyangapuo that the KUP had abandoned Azimio. “The party is not leaving Azimio any time soon. Whatever the former governor, Mr John Lonyangapuo, said is his view, which is allowed by our democratic principles,” the lawmaker said.
He was responding to the sentiments attributed to Mr John Lonyangapuo that the rallies planned by Azimio leader Raila Odinga were a big threat to the country’s democratic fabric.
as dismissed the planned demonstrations by Azimio leader Raila Odinga.
Mr Lonyangapuo said that it was the height of misplaced priority for a leader of Raila’s stature to call for demonstrations as the only way to oppose the government – urging the five times presidential candidate to let the elected leaders work.
“Azimio is calling for anti-Ruto protest rallies and to me, this is a misplaced agenda,” Mr John Lonyangapuo said during an interview with a local television.
He said that elected leaders, irrespective of their political affiliation, have the mandate to lead the country and therefore should be given a chance. Mr John Lonyangapuo further said that Azimio affiliate parties were not consulted over the planned demos and therefore they’re not party to any of the planned rallies.
“We have come out to dissociate ourselves with the approach that is being introduced now where in our Azimio coalition there was no consultation,” he said.
“The Azimio coalition represents the greatest threat to democracy, the rule of law, and national cohesion in our nation’s recent history. Arising thereof, today we lay bare the instrument that was meant to hold the coalition together and to guide our path forward so that Kenyans may see the deceitful nature of the current arrangement.”
But in a rejoinder, the (KUP) Kenya Union Party deputy party leader, and member of parliament for Pokot South, Mr David Pkosing, dismissed assertions by Lonyangapuo that the KUP had abandoned Azimio. “The party is not leaving Azimio any time soon. Whatever the former governor, Mr John Lonyangapuo, said is his view, which is allowed by our democratic principles,” the lawmaker said.
He was responding to the sentiments attributed to Mr John Lonyangapuo that the rallies planned by Azimio leader Raila Odinga were a big threat to the country’s democratic fabric.
