National Super Alliance (NASA) presidential candidate in the August 8, 2017 elections, Mr Raila Odinga, to take oath of office as planned. PHOTO/FILE
By ABDULHAKIM SHERMAN
newsdesk@reporter.co.ke
The Swearing-in of, Mr Raila Odinga, National Super Alliance (NASA) presidential candidate in the August 8, 2017 elections that were nullified by the Supreme Court will take place on Jamhuri Day as planned, his advisor Salim Lone, has said.
Mr Lone said while there have been calls on Mr Odinga to call off the December 12th swearing-in as it will polarize the nation, Nasa was going ahead with the swearing-in plans.
“Kenya has never been as polarized as it has been the last few months. It’s polarized because both the August and October elections were stolen, and because of a host of other murderous actions by this regime that have inflamed millions. The country is at a tipping point in a way it never has before,” he said in a statement.
The opposition has already has written to eleven Governors requesting for venue for Mr Odinga’s swearing-in that is scheduled for December 12.
“Your county having passed the People’s Assembly motion, the presidential inauguration team is requesting your office to provide a venue for this high level event in your county,” read part of the letters.
The letters addressed Governors Hassan Joho (Mombasa), Anyang’ Nyong’o (Kisumu), Cyprian Awiti(Homa Bay), Kivutha Kibwana (Makueni), Okoth Obado (Migori), Wycliffe Oparanya(Kakamega), Wilber Ottichilo (Vihiga), Amason Kingi (Kilifi), Odeke Ojaamong(Busia), Charity Ngilu (Kitui), Cornel Rasanga(Siaya) whose counties have passed the People’s Assembly motion. Raila’s party has refused to acknowledge Uhuru Kenyatta as the duly elected President of the Republic of Kenya.
NASA has insisted that any form of dialogue with Jubilee must entail electoral reforms with a view to laying a roadmap for another election, a position President Uhuru Kenyatta has dismissed.
Mr Lone added that not a single action has been taken by President Uhuru Kenyatta’s regime to lower the temperatures as even after the Supreme Court validated his 26 October win, and again as he was being sworn-in last week, he unleashed the police, who killed more than two dozen lawful protesters.
“Mr Odinga’s swearing will be lawful. It will help prevent further polarization by giving Kenyans hope for electoral justice that was denied them, under a genuinely independent IEBC,” he said.
Mr Lone said the planned swearing-in will also give new impetus for the People’s Assembly to guide county assemblies in urgently addressing a number of pressing economic and justice issues that will provide material benefits to our people.
He said the Nasa leader has also always been open to a dialogue as before the October 26 repeat presidential election he sought it to ensure that it would be credibly done, but there was no interest in the dialogue or in holding an honest election.
National Super Alliance (NASA) presidential candidate in the August 8, 2017 elections, Mr Raila Odinga. PHOTO/COURTESY
Mr Lone said Mr Odinga has repeatedly indicated his willingness to enter into a dialogue even now, if it is held between equals, as was done in 2008 between a sworn-in President Kibaki and Mr Odinga.
“Mr Odinga’s only condition for the dialogue is that it must have an agreed agenda, which should, unlike in 2008, include electoral justice,” he said.
He said Mr Odinga is holding the country together through his commitment to pursuing constitutional and peaceful means for resolving issues and crimes against Kenyans that have brought us to this sorry and explosive pass.
Mr Lone said apart from the ‘stolen elections’, Kenyans have been subjected to brutal torture the killing of IEBC IT chief Chris Msando and the intimidation of the entire Commission; the abuse and threats against Supreme Court judges and the killing of scores of unarmed Kenyans lawfully protesting these injustices.
