NASA leader Raila Odinga was ‘sworn in’ as people’s president of Kenya Tuesday afternoon at the Nairobi’s Uhuru Park in the absence of his deputy Kalonzo Musyoka.
The Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka was expected to take oath with Raila Odinga since the presidency is a joint ticket of president and deputy president.
Speaking shortly after taking ‘oath’, Raila said the event marks the end of electoral injustice in Kenya, adding that Kalonzo will be ‘sworn-in’ at a later date.
Other NASA principals Moses Wetang’ula and Musalia Mudavadi were also missing as Raila ‘took oath’.
All the NASA principals have been pushing for the swearing in of the NASA leader, in an attempt to achieve electoral justice. The opposition had rejected to recognize Uhuru Kenyatta as president of Kenya after he was declared winner of the October 26 repeat election.
The opposition postponed the swearing in last year on Jamhuri Day December 12, explaining that they had to wait for Kalonzo who was in Germany by then attending to his sick wife.
Before postponing the swearing in, NASA said they were either to swear in Raila alone as Kalonzo is sworn in later, wait for Kalonzo to come before swearing in both of them or they take representatives to swear Kalonzo in Germany. After consultations, they decided to postpone the swearing in, a decision that left majority of NASA supporters disappointed.
Supporters expected Raila to be sworn in with Kalonzo Tuesday afternoon but Kalonzo did not show up. Tuesday morning, Kalonzo had said they were still consulting before the oath is conducted as scheduled. Kalonzo had also condemned Communications Authority for shutting down national TV stations KTN News, Citizen and NTV at a time when Kenyans were supposed to witness the swearing in.
Attorney General Githu Muigai had warned NASA leaders against taking oath, saying that they risk committing high treason whose penalty is death.
NASA dismissed Muigai’s warning, insisting that they were operating within the law. Later, Raila Odinga said he was ready to die if that is what it takes to pay for fighting against electoral injustices in the country.
