This archive report was first published on 8 August 2019.
On Labour Day, May 1, 2018, Raila Odinga addressed a gathering at Uhuru Park in Nairobi.
Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga has expressed outrage over a report that Parliament plans to spend tens of millions of shillings to send 85 legislators and staff to a conference in Nashville, Tennessee.
According to a report by the Nation, published on August 8, 2019, taxpayer money will cover flights and accommodation for the delegation, which is the largest in the world.
Mr. Odinga stated that the National Assembly's reaction to the report, which included threatening the media outlet and demanding an apology, only served to further fuel suspicions of wrongdoing.
He noted that the National Assembly's actions 'betray a collective sense of guilt' and that he disagreed with the House's position on the matter.
Mr. Odinga demanded that Parliament provide information on the conference, including the names of delegates, the purpose of the trip, and the costs involved.
He accused the National Assembly of misusing its powers and attempting to intimidate the media into silence.
Kenya's decision to send the largest delegation to the National Conference of State Legislatures in Nashville comes at a time when the government is proposing cuts to foreign travel as part of austerity measures.
