Ichung’wah threatens to petition ICC to take action against Raila over demos ultimatum

National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah has threatened to petition the International Criminal Court (ICC) to monitor the opposition's activities in the country amid a standoff over a proposed dialogue with the government.

Ichungw’ah accused Azimio la Umoja - One Kenya coalition leader Raila Odinga of rocking plans for bipartisan talks after he made new demands regarding President William Ruto's proposed parliamentary process meant to address the opposition's grievances.

Citing Raila's threats to return to mass action if his demands are not met, Ichung'wah accused the former prime minister of using violence and anarchy to blackmail the government.

“We want to tell Raila, we have no problem with you demonstrating...but demonstrate peacefully. And that's why we are telling Raila Odinga, your system of looting, your system of anarchy, your system of using bloodshed to blackmail the country will come to an end and not next year, not after the next elections... This year, that system must come to an end,” Ichung’wah said on Wednesday.

“Blackmail us, and we will tell you this is blackmail. If you want to create anarchy we will call it anarchy. And that is why I have said we will propose an agenda to our PG meeting next week that we write to the ICC to take measures to ensure that Raila Odinga and his sponsors do not slide our country back to anarchy.”

The legislator claimed Raila was keen on causing chaos and bloodshed in the country to force his way into government.

“If our PG agrees with us, we will write to ICC because it is now very clear that all Raila Odinga and his team want is to blackmail the country using violence, anarchy, looting, and bloodshed to get into the system of government,” the MP added.

President Ruto on Sunday extended an olive branch to the opposition supremo and proposed a bipartisan parliamentary engagement to address concerns raised on the reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

However, Raila yesterday said a parliamentary process may not be effective in addressing the opposition's grievances that also touch on the cost of living and the legitimacy of the current administration.

According to Raila, the Azimio leadership wants to have a conversation at the national level through a process akin to the 2008 National Accord, which was brokered by Koffi Annan following the disputed 2007 presidential election results.

A majority of Ruto's allies Ruto's have rejected the proposal with the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party accusing Raila of an attempt to hold the bipartisan talks at ransom.

Yesterday, UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malala said Raila's remarks had confirmed the ruling party's worst fears that recent the recent demonstrations pushing for electoral and economic reforms were not genuine "but a blatant thirst and hunger for power through the back door".

"In making these unreasonable demands, Raila Odinga has demonstrated his intention to hold the Bipartisan Parliamentary Process as suggested by The President at ransom," Malala said.

Malala said Raila should not "mistake President Ruto's olive branch in this holy month as a sign of cowardice", adding that the ruling party "will not accept any process that is outside the purview of the constitution or offends the law as established".

"We call upon Hon. Raila Odinga to recognize that there is a legitimate government in Kenya delivering the promises made to the electorate and implementing its pre-election agenda," Malala said.

"Formation of anybody, not legally recognized by the constitution or statute law amounts to living in utopia and broad daylight hallucination," he added.