ODM leader Raila Odinga has asked MPs not to pass a law outlawing Deputy President William Ruto’s ‘hustler’ talk as a means of respecting Ruto’s freedom of speech in his campaigns.
Raila has, however, maintained that the “hustlers vs dynasty” narrative being perpetrated by Ruto and his cronies was a dangerous line of politics.
In a statement, he said the proposed Bill by the August House’s National Security Committee seeking to criminalize the ‘hustlers versus dynasties’ slogan was unnecessary.
Raila also opposed the proposed severe fines, jail time and removal from office for any leader who propagates the campaign slogan in the draft bill.
He said the freedom of speech and association of DP and his allies are enshrined in the Constitution and they should be allowed to conduct their 2022 campaigns as they so wish.
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Raila instead called on Kenyans to reject the slogan based on the dangers it posed likening it
to Adolf Hitler’s Nazism ideology that saw Nazi Party rule Germany from 1933 to 1945.
“These ideologies caused a great deal of trauma to Germany and the world. They ended in the Holocaust. I fear the “hustlers vs dynasties” narrative will have the same deadly consequences for Kenya as Nazism did for Germany.
“I would strongly appeal to members of parliament to drop any attempts to legislate against this otherwise deadly slogan. We should be able to allow the Deputy President and his team to continue with their chosen slogan without any inhibitions.”
Raila called for public education to ensure Kenyans don’t fall for it and see through what he termed “divisive and potentially deadly rhetoric.”