Raila makes U-turn on swearing-in plan after Uhuru's invitation

National Super Alliance leader Raila Odinga on Sartuday turned down the call by his coalition hardliners to have him sworn in as the President of the People’s Republic of Kenya, two days to the planned event.

The event which was plotted to take place parallel to Uhuru Kenyatta’s highly awaited Tuesday fete, was turned down by Mr Odinga and instead announced that there will be a major rally at Jacaranda Grounds in Nairobi for a fundraiser for the victims who perished in the posts election violence and shooting out of both the August 8 and October 26 polls. The team made the new deliberation after a five-hour consultative meeting at the Maanzoni Lodge in Machakos County.

“Some people in the coalition would have really wanted to go on with it (parallel swearing-in). But some people have called for caution instead, with Baba (Raila) himself being the biggest voice, citing his national stature, international image and his respect for the law,” a source at the meeting told a local daily.

In the meeting, in which Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Ford Kenya leader and Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula were missing, Mr Odinga is said to have issued a caution to Nasa legal team led by Siaya Senator James Orengo, citing his international image, and his respect for the law and the Constitution many in the coalition say he fathered.

Mr Odinga, instead, on Saturday termed the repeat poll a sham and has called for a fresh one under a new electoral commission, reiterating that the Nasa coalition will not recognise Uhuru Kenyatta’s presidency.

While Mr Odinga’s team earlier maintained that it will use the August 8 poll results to swear him in on Tuesday at Uhuru Park, reports indicated that he flatly rejected calls to have him sworn in.

He instead called for a more vigorous push for change in the country using his proposed People’s Assemblies, civil disobedience and select product boycott.

On Friday Government spokesperson Mr Eric Kiraithe asked Mr Odinga to shelve his plans for a parallel event, and instead attend President Kenyatta’s swearing-in at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani. Six other presidential candidates have been invited for the fete.

“We are mourning, and on the other side, Uhuru is preparing a feast, a ceremony. All patriotic Kenyans will be at Jacaranda mourning our people brutally killed by this regime,” said Mr Odinga in retaliation.

He added: “Jubilee government’s proverbial 40 days have come. They have become a rogue cat, and are now snatching our chicks from us. Such a cat is killed, and as I said, there are many ways to do it: You can use a knife, or a rope and strangle it, or put it in a sack and drown it in water. There are many ways. But what we know for sure is that this cat called Jubilee’s days are over.”

Earlier, Nasa team who spoke after the Supreme Court ruling on Monday, divulged that the plan to have Mr Odinga in office as the President was underway, hours after the committee working on polishing the Kasarani venue for swearing in ceremony of Mr Kenyatta resumed their work on Monday.

Former Machakos Senator Mr Johnston Muthama clarified that Mr Kenyatta’s fete would be rivaled.

“We are going ahead with the swearing-in, as planned,” Mr Muthama quipped as quoted by the Star even as their candidate, Mr Odinga had remained mum on the issue.

Raila rejects calls to swear him in