Azimio-One Kenya coalition presidential flagbearer Raila Odinga has pledged to free all petty offenders if he ascends to power this year.
Odinga, who spoke during a virtual rally on Friday, stated that it is unfair for petty offenders to fill the prisons while those accused of looting billions are walking freely.
He faulted the country’s justice system for prioritizing the arrest and prosecution of petty offenders instead of pursuing high-profile individuals facing more serious crimes such as corruption.
Raila was speaking in reference to the case of 21-year-old Alvin Linus Chivondo, who was handed a one-year jail sentence on Monday for shoplifting food items at a Naivas Supermarket store in Nairobi CBD.
“This is a very worrying case, it shows just how flawed our judicial system can be at times. He is just a petty offender but he was sentenced quite quickly yet we have persons facing graft cases. In most cases, they are not even arrested and when they are apprehended they get out of remand quickly,” said Odinga.
“When they are freed on bail, nobody follows up on their cases. We have a lot of petty offenders in our prison but in the event I clinch the presidency, I will free them and I will prioritize the arrest and sentencing of high profile gangsters.”
Chivondo was only freed from the Industrial Area Prison on Thursday after former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko intervened and paid his Sh100,000 fine.
The man pleaded guilty to stealing sugar, cooking oil, honey, and tea leaves worth Sh3,165.
Raila, you were a prime…
Raila, you were a prime minister of Kenya. Why didn’t you do it. You have been in the politics of Kenya for more than 40 years, why do we still have the crimes of necessity such as that of Chivondo? You mean for all that time you have done nothing to help the poor help themselves? records show that you have billions of shillings- that you’re one of the greatest beneficiaries of corruption in Kenya, yet you never built a single industry to provide jobs to the poor- not even in Nyanza which is your personal political property. Sorry sir, but you cannot prioritize the arrest and sentencing of high-profile gangsters because you’re one of them. You will not be the next president of Kenya because you have nothing to offer. You’re our past and we refuse to go back there!
How can a thief jail another…
How can a thief jail another thief.Yr family stole molasses company’s,controls Gas company’s.U stole kazi kwa vijana billions during coalition gavament,1982 coup n many other deaths,economic sabotage n the last treason swearing yrself as peoples president?So with such example as ur a criminal yourself n b4 u state otherwise deal with yourself.Sisi sio Wanjinga pwana kitendawili
Noooo! Just go for Big…
Noooo! Just go for Big fishes and Let the PETTY offenders Serve their PETTY sentences.
Mr. Free Free I should call…
Mr. Free Free I should call. Free monthly k6000. The same people getting free ksh6000 can have children and refuse to take care and Mr. Free Is offering another free money for the children and the mothers. To free petty offenders. What else is coming free? Mr Free voting base living in Nairobi should not be paying rent, water and electricity right.? We are yet to see where this type of economy takes the country.
Raila is one of the rich guys in Africa. If he wanted to make a difference with his wealth that all of us could have seen, he could have. But he hasn’t. And he is not going to do it. He has been fighting for what he wants for himself and let no one say he fought for democracy. He fights all the time not for me and you but for himself. For the past four years he has been quite. Did he suddenly get democracy? The government have seen all sorts of corruption during this but Raila as opposition leader has been mute. Why is because he is also busy eating. And if he was not eating the spoils of corruption, then you should have heard his noises of fighting for “democracy “!
SERIOUSLY, RAILA is trying…
SERIOUSLY, RAILA is trying everything in the books to win the election, which is okay, but kenyans know that you can’t send a dog to catch a dog.
Did he just sign a deal with UHURU and GOONS to protect their wealth?
If their wealth is legally acquired, why do they want protection?
RUTO promised the CRAP to UHURU.
This means there will be no meaningful changes no matter who wins the presidency.