Azimio leader Raila Odinga is going to court, to stop the Shakahola Taskforce appointed by President William Ruto last week from investigating the Shakahola Massacre.
Speaking yesterday in Kilifi county, Mr. Odinga said the Head of State contravened the Constitution by performing a role assigned to parliament with the intention of appointing his friends into the task force.
”It is the work of Parliament to initiate the process of appointing taskforces. Thus, the President contravened the Constitution and I am going to court to stop him. He has further gone ahead to appoint his friends in the taskforce to doctor the Shakahola report in his favour,” Raila noted.
The ODM leader noted the country does not trust the state to investigate the deaths, and that the person involved in the matter is known by powerful politicians in government.
”We want to know those who were involved. This is a security lapse. Where were the security agencies? Shakahola was an annex of the State House, and we don’t trust the State in probing this matter because the controversial pastor is known by powerful politicians in government,” he said.
Mr. Odinga added,” The controversial pastors conducting cultic activities have been hobnobbing with senior political leaders in the government.”
On Friday, President Ruto appointed a Commission of Inquiry to investigate suspected killings in Shakahola Forest where 110 bodies have been retrieved from shallow graves.
The President also appointed a taskforce to review the legal and regulatory framework governing religious organizations
Reverend Mutava Musyimi will chair the committee which will be operational for the next six months. Bishop Mark Kariuki, Bishop (Dr.) Eli Rop, Archbishop Maurice Muhatia, Judy Thongori, Rev (Dr.) Alphonse Kanga, Bishop Philip Kitoto and Dr. Faridun Abdalla will sit on the committee as members.
