All Azimio MPs Will Resign if Raila is Arrested - Babu Owino

A collage of Opposition Leader Raila Odinga and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino.jpg
A collage of Opposition Leader Raila Odinga and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino.
Kenyans.co.ke

Embakasi East Member of Parliament (MP) Babu Owino on Tuesday, March 21 warned that Azimio lawmakers would resign if the Kenya Kwanza administration attempted to arrest opposition chief Raila Odinga.

Speaking outside parliament buildings, Babu divulged that the arrest of Odinga would be tantamount to treason, owing to the high regard that the former Premier has in the country.

He spelt out that while the mass action only disrupted business in Nairobi, arresting Odinga would bring the entire county to a standstill.

Embakasi East MP Babu Owino during a past political rally
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino during a past political rally
File

"Raila Amollo Odinga is the fourth arm of the government. If you want this country to go down, even as much utter that you want to arrest him.

"We have 70 per cent of the country and we the MPs will resign and we will fight a course that is going to clean this country one and for all," Babu stated.

The outspoken lawmaker explained that the mass resignation would plunge the country into a Constitutional crisis with the legislature, the law-making arm of government, crippled.

However, Constitutional Lawyer Bobby Mkangi explained that even if all MPs, including those allied to President William Ruto resigned, it would have no effect on Ruto's presidency.

"What we will have is a grand by-election. There would be no General Election, not even if the governors and Members of the County Assembly reigned," Mkangi explained.

Notably, no by-election would be held as the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is yet to be constituted.

IEBC has no commissioners following the lapse in the contracts of former Chairperson Wafula Chebukati, and commissioners Abdi Guliye and Boya Molu, the resignation of Juliana Cherera, Justus Nyang'aya and  Francis Wanderi.

Irene Masit's contract was terminated following recommendations by the IEBC Tribunal which found her guilty of gross misconduct.

Babu Owino's remarks came hours after UDA MPs called on the Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome to go after Odinga over the destruction of property during the  March 20 mass action.

Protestors pictured along Thika Superhighway in Githurai.
Protestors pictured along Thika Superhighway in Githurai.
Daily Nation
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