Former Principal Secretary Irungu Nyakera has called out the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader, Raila Odinga, accusing the veteran politician of betraying his legacy by remaining silent in the wake of rising extrajudicial killings.
The former Murang'a gubernatorial candidate has called the former Prime Minister a traitor for his silence and failure to carry out his prior legacy, comparing the current state of affairs to times when Raila was on the front lines denouncing such killings.
Nyakera said in a statement on his X page that he was astounded by Raila's eerily silent response to the ongoing killings of young Kenyans by police. According to Nyakera, Raila's recent deal with the Kenya Kwanza government prevents him from voicing any issues within the leadership.
“Bold Raila once called out rogue police for killing innocent children. Today, he is eating silently as a principal in this murderous regime,” Nyakera wrote.
The leader has accused Raila of abandoning his legacy as a human rights defender, claiming he has now aligned himself against the very children he once vowed to protect.
Nyakera alleges that Raila has not only turned a blind eye to ongoing atrocities but has also actively stifled voices within his camp who attempt to speak out against the brutality.
“Raila has gone from standing up for the right to life to silencing the likes of Gladys Wanga, who are speaking out against extrajudicial killings. What a betrayal,” Nyakera continued.
Nyakera's sentiments come just days after Homa Bay Governor and ODM Chairperson Gladys Wanga publicly condemned the rise of police brutality, especially in informal settlements.
Wanga's remarks on the death of Albert Ojwang in police custody were perceived as a veiled criticism of the government's current posture, which Raila, now a principal in the bipartisan coalition, appears unwilling to challenge.
On his part, Raila has, however, not completely remained silent, making demands and statements regarding police brutality, including the murders of Ojwang.
Raila described Ojwang’s death as part of a disturbing pattern of brutality against young, defenceless Kenyans and warned that such incidents erode public trust in the police and the state, pushing the country toward chaos.
Nyakera's worries coincide with a wave of protests against police brutality in Kenya, particularly in the wake of the recent incident in which Ojwang, a teacher and social media influencer, passed away in police custody under mysterious circumstances.
Kenyans have seen a somewhat "softer" Raila since he signed the Broad-based agreement with the Kenya Kwanza Government. Unlike before, when he publicly denounced the government for repressing Kenyans and even called for protests against them, he now merely makes generalisations.
