Azimio la Umoja - One Kenya coalition leader Raila Odinga now claims that President William Ruto has captured parliament.

Speaking during the burial ceremony of Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Chairman Philip Makabon'go in Rongo, Migori county on Friday, January 12, 2024, Raila alleged that both Houses of Parliament are captives of the executive. 

He stressed that many acts passed in parliament are works of the current regime in a move meant to claw back on the powers constitutionally handed to the county government.

"There is a team that is busy drafting amendments of various acts of parliament whose aim is to try to claw back on the powers that have been given to the county government constitutionally. So many of these acts have been drafted somewhere and because they have already taken parliament captive they are being passed in parliament without any amendments," Raila said.

Raila also wondered why acts presented in parliament were only being discussed in under 3 minutes when previously a bill would take an hour of presentation before a conclusive agreement.  This, he says is a tactic by the Kenya Kwanza regime to rush the approval of acts that suit them without any amendments.

"When you are in parliament, debate on a bill did not have any time limitation and you could talk on a bill for one hour, two hours..or a day so long as you don't repeat yourself nobody will stop you. These days they bring three bills to be passed in one afternoon. How can you discuss a bill in 3 minutes? They do that because they want to change this country and take us back to where we have come from through parliament," Raila added.

The Azimio leader also assured Kenyans that the opposition will give directions on the high cost of living in the country next week.

"We will release the statement indicating what position we will take, and where we should stand as a people," Raila stated. By Achieng Mary, People Daily