Raila Reacts to Threats to Charge Him With Treason

National Super Alliance (NASA) leader Raila Odinga has reacted to threats by Attorney General Githu Muigai that he will be charged with high treason if he is sworn in as President on December 12th.

Last week, the AG warned the opposition leader that he could be charge with treason, which is punishable by death if he makes true his threat to be sworn in as people's president.

"I reiterate the any attempts to swear in any person as president other than the one elected in line with the constitution and in a manner provided for in the law is unlawful, illegal null and void ab initio," Prof Muigai told journalists at the State Law office in the capital Nairobi.

However, speaking during an interview with the Standard, Odinga termed Attorney General's statement as unfortunate and irresponsible.

“The statement by my neighbour and former tenant was unfortunate and irresponsible,” he said.

He added: “He misses the point completely. This is blackmail and intimidation. He should know I have been charged with treason before, spent six months in Kamiti and the state entered a nolle prosequi because they couldn’t prove the charges. He should not touch that button."

The opposition chief lamented that the Jubilee administration was eroding the gains Kenya has made since independence, citing killing of innocent and unarmed citizens by police.

“I am afraid that we are living at a time when the powers that be think that might is right. We are moving backwards as a nation and the gains we made are slowly but surely being eroded. Drafters of the Constitution envisaged an independent Inspector General of Police but unfortunately MPs amended the law to give the President powers to appoint top police command. Now on orders from above they kill innocent Kenyans,” he says, citing recent killings of demonstrators blamed on the police.