Raila Odinga to prosecute those who inflated cost of SGR
POLITICS
National Super Alliance presidential candidate Raila Odinga addressing defectors from Nakuru who joined ODM at Orange House on May 31, 2017. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
By COLLINS OMULO
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IN SUMMARY
- Mr Odinga said the project cost Sh227 billion but was inflated to Sh327 billion by the Jubilee administration.
- Mr Odinga, however, said the railway would contribute to the economic growth of the country.
National Super Alliance presidential flagbearer Raila Odinga has said he would prosecute people who
inflated the cost of the standard gauge railway if he forms the next government.
Mr Odinga said the project cost Sh227 billion but was inflated to Sh327 billion by the Jubilee administration.
“We know the people responsible and it is not the Chinese,” he told a press conference at Orange House.
Mr Odinga, however, said the railway would contribute to the economic growth of the country.
“We are happy it is happening. We want to thank the Chinese Government for working with us to make this dream a reality,” he said.
BLOCKING JOHO
At the same time, the opposition leader hit out at President Kenyatta and Mombasa County Directorate of Criminal Investigations head Washington Muthee for
blocking Governor Hassan Ali Johofrom attending the launch of the standard gauge railway.
“This is a national project. Joho is leading one of the 47 county governments. The project was launched in his county and he should have been there,” Mr Odinga said.
“He is the one who should have welcomed the President to do the launch.”
He also blamed Mr Kenyatta “for using the launch of the project to campaign”.
BIGGER TSUNAMI
At the same time, Mr Odinga said this year’s elections would be a bigger tsunami than what the country witnessed in 2002 when the National Rainbow Coalition ended Kanu’s long rein.
“We will walk with everyone and we urge Kenyans to join Nasa,” said Mr Odinga while receiving a delegation of politicians from Nakuru, led by former county TNA chairman Peter Njuguna, who defected to the opposition.
Mr Odinga said he supported President Kenyatta’s stand on action to be taken against railway vandals.
EXECUTION ORDERS
During the launch, Mr Kenyatta said he would
sign execution orders for vandal as he equated the railway destruct on to economic sabotage.
Mr Odinga said the project was a big step towards Kenya’s economic freedom.
“Anyone who attempts vandalise the railway is foolish,” Mr Odinga said.
He, however, called for legal procedures and the Constitution to be followed when punishing offenders.
“We do not want to return to the days when people were detained without trial,” the opposition leader said.
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Raila: I’ll jail those who inflated cost