The Kenyan government on Tuesday, January 30, 2018, proscribed Raila Odinga’s ‘National Resistance Movement’ and labeled it as an ‘organized criminal group’, paving the way for potential arrests following the symbolic inauguration of the opposition leader.
The government subsequently declared the resistance movement “an organized criminal group.” The declaration cited Kenya’s Prevention of Organized Crimes Act of 2010.
CS @FredMatiangi declares National Resistance Movement an organized criminal group as per Prevention of Organized Crimes Act 2010. pic.twitter.com/rjexEBVSiN
— Ministry of Interior | Kenya (@InteriorKE) January 30, 2018
Raila Odinga, Kenyan opposition leader, had earlier defied government’s warning and sworn-in himself as “the people’s president” and could face treason trial.
The government had warned that he risked being charged for treason, an offence punishable by death.
In spite of the warning, he took a symbolic oath of office on Tuesday.
Odinga, who boycotted the country’s disputed election last year, swore himself in as the “people’s president” at a mock inauguration ceremony Tuesday in protest against President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Thousands of opposition supporters gathered at Uhuru Park in central Nairobi to attend the “swearing-in” protest event, which was organised by Odinga’s National Super Alliance, NASA.
