LSK Boss urged to reject appointment to chair taskforce to audit national debt as it’s a bid to sanitize Ruto regime
By THEDISPATCH.DIGITAL REPORTER
Lawyers and members of the public have urged LSK President Faith Odhiambo to immediately reject her surprise appointment by President William Ruto to chair a taskforce to audit the national debt as it’s a bid to compromise the forces for change in the country. Early reactions to the announcement, made yesterday as the President hosted a discussion on Space X to ‘listen’ to Gen Z issues, indicated that not many trusted the President’s intentions in making the appointment, especially because Ms. Odhiambo had worked tirelessly to secure the release of youths arrested by the regime during the recent protests.
Some lawyers contacted believed the appointment had been made after Ms. Odhiambo revealed a practical hands-on leadership that has won the LSK plaudits from the public. It is believed that if she takes up the appointment, Ms. Odhiambo’s involvement in the taskforce could give the impression that the LSK and legal fraternity are involved in Ruto’s efforts to improve affairs in the country while the reality is that they would be used to sanitize the government after the impactful and part deadly protests that broke out recently.
Several lawyers we spoke to in confidence opposed Ms. Odhiambo’s appointment and urged her not to take up the appointment, which would also require the LSK to nominate another member of the LSK to join.
“It’s an easy way for Ruto to sanitize his government,” said a lawyer who spoke to THEDISPATCH.DIGITAL, “the national debt is one issue he campaigned on but did not include it in his policies. This is a knee-jerk reaction that’s just meant to manage the current situation and things will go back to old state once the furore dies down.”
Apart from being directly involved in securing the release of people arrested during the demonstrations, Ms. Odhiambo was also involved in the case of the arrest of former Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter, who had been arrested on alleged possession of arms and held at Kamukunji Police Station in Nairobi.
There were concerns that Ruto would soon move to neutralise the forces against him by offering goodies and appointments to those perceive to be leaders, to puncture the efforts to realize change as they threaten the ruling clique that has coalesced around him, making deals and stealing from the public purse through inflated procurements and tenders. There wee also fears that once the :LSK starts cooperating with the government and helps to clean up its image, it (LSK) would then lose or dilute its oversight role. In recent days, the LSK has stood with the citizens, with the Chair, Ms. Odhiambo, going out to personally secure bond for arrested youth that had been demonstrating against the government. This was unlike previous LSK Chairs who prefer to stay on the Ivory Tower and only make token appearances in court or in agitation for popular public issues.
As this report was file, we had received indication that Ms. Odhiambo was considering the best way to turn down the appointment without appearing to be rude or disrespectful to the President.