Raila Odinga terms Uhuru's swearing-in as 'coronation'

What you need to know:

  • The National Super Alliance (Nasa) leader insisted that Kenyatta was elected by less than 20 percent of registered voters and, therefore, he lacks legitimacy.

  • “Today is the wrong time to do celebrations when more than 30 of our people were killed by Kenyatta’s police,” he added.

Uhuru Kenyatta’s swearing-in for the second term is a "mere coronation", his arch-rival and opposition leader Raila Odinga has said.

Speaking to BBC on Tuesday morning, Mr Odinga said there will be no conducive environment for the international community to do business with the Kenyan government without electoral justice.

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“It’s a coronation rather than inauguration. We don’t believe he was legitimately elected as leader of Kenya,” Mr Odinga told BBC’s Newsday programme.

He castigated the international community for keeping mum on alleged killing of his supporters by police.

The National Super Alliance (Nasa) leader insisted that Kenyatta was elected by less than 20 percent of registered voters and, therefore, he lacks legitimacy.

“Today is the wrong time to do celebrations when more than 30 of our people were killed by Kenyatta’s police,” he added.

Mr Odinga warned international community against engaging Kenyatta’s administration, saying there will be no peace for them to do business with the government.

ENVOYS

“No single envoy in Nairobi has spoken about mass killings of our people...there will be no peaceful environment to do business until electoral justice is done,” he added.

So far, he said, there are no plans for any dialogue but reiterated that he is ready to meet the president’s camp.

“We are not interested to talk about joining government. Any dialogue must be about bringing electoral justice in Kenya,” he said.

Despite police warning, Mr Odinga invited his supporters at Jacaranda to a parallel event to mourn Kenyans he claims were killed by the police as they welcomed him home from a 10-day tour of the US and Europe.

The officers in full anti-riot gear on Tuesday threw teargas to stop a planned Nasa prayer rally at Jacaranda grounds in Embakasi, Nairobi.