Former Prime Minister and Azimio coalition flag bearer, Raila Odinga, has shot down an invitation by the president-elect, Dr. William Samoei Ruto to attend his inauguration which is scheduled to take place Tuesday, 13th September, at Kasarani International Stadium, Nairobi.
Raila Odinga rejects invitation to attend presidential inauguration
Raila Odinga has come out openly saying that he would not be able to attend William Ruto's inauguration, citing impunity and failure of institutions of justice failing to live up to the expectations of the constitution and law as the reason behind it.
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In a notice the leader issued late Monday evening, 12th September, the Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya party leader, Odinga, turned down the invitation by Ruto to his inauguration, saying he still believes the election was flawed and that he would not take part in promoting impunity.
In the statement, Odinga confirmed that Ruto had called to invite him and even sent him a letter of invitation but he confirmed that will not be attending the inauguration where Ruto is expected to take over power from his predecessor President Uhuru Kenyatta.
"This (Monday, September 12, 2022) evening, I received a letter and a telephone call from Dr. William Ruto inviting me to his inauguration set for tomorrow, September 13, 2022. I regret however that I will not be available for the inauguration because I am out of the country and I also have other serious concerns," the former PM lamented in the notice.
The former Prime Minister said he believes that the ruling of the Supreme Court upholding Ruto’s election was not based on the facts and the law, even though the coalition members went ahead and accepted it.
"...I believe that the ruling of the Supreme Court was not based on the facts and the law, even though we accepted it," the statement read.
Odinga who is out of the country according to the statement said that he stood on his previous grounds that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) did not conduct a free and fair election.
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