We won’t call off rally, vows Cord

Cord leaders Friday said they would not be cowed by last-minute attempts to make them shelve the Monday Saba Saba rally.

The leaders, who were in Kisii to rally supporters to attend the rally, also dismissed church leaders who have offered to mediate in the Jubilee-Cord standoff, telling them to keep away from politics.

“We are telling them that they have two days to talk to us or face the power of the people come Monday,” former Prime Minister Raila Odinga said.

“We can be kicked, shackled, beaten and even detained but that will not make us give up the fight,” he said.

The opposition is Saturday expected to hold a rally at Kisumu’s Kirembe grounds before heading to co-principal Kalonzo Musyoka’s Machakos stronghold Sunday.

Mr Odinga said those expecting chaos on Monday were in for a rude shock. He said supporters had been instructed to be ambassadors of peace to shame the Jubilee government.

Mr Odinga said the meeting at Uhuru Park will be a culmination of consultations they have held with wananchi on insecurity, high cost of living, the electoral commission and equity in sharing national resources.

He added that the terror attacks in Mpeketoni, Wajir, Mandera, Eastleigh, Bungoma, Gikomba and other places will also be discussed.

“We must be told why these stones have remained unturned even after the government promised to bring the perpetrators to book,” he said.

The former PM said Cord was bent on achieving reforms stipulated in the Constitution which he said Jubilee had failed to implement because they did not support it in the first place.

Mr Odinga also dismissed claims that Cord was working with Mungiki and the Mombasa Republic Council, saying it had enough support among poor Kenyans.

Mr Musyoka urged Kenyans to come out in large numbers on Monday to show Jubilee they wanted peace and justice.

He said Cord did not want to grab power as alleged by some politicians but to save the country from economic collapse.

“The time for national salvation is now; we will use the power bestowed on the people under Article 1(2) of the Constitution of Kenya and not chaotic means,” the Wiper leader said.

“On the IEBC, we want them to know that there will be no negotiations since we are no different from India which held an election with more than 700 million voters without a hitch.

The whole team must go home since we will not go to any election with partisan referees,” he said.

“Let the IEBC go home since we will not sleep until we show them the way to do things properly as a nation; but this will be achieved without chaotic confrontation,” he said.

Speaking at the same rally, Cord co-principal Moses Wetangula said Kenyans have had enough of Jubilee as it had failed to fulfil its promises.
He described Jubilee as a group of politicians whose job is “Kusema na Kusahau” (say and forget).

“They have failed to bring laptops for pupils, end tribalism, eradicate corruption, restore peace and security, among other things they promised.

That is why we must resist any more attempts to keep Kenyans hostage to their hard-won freedom,” Mr Wetangula said.

Siaya Senator James Orengo said Kenyans deserved leaders with international standing.

“We know very well that Mr Odinga, Mr Musyoka and Mr Wetangula can go to any country without being asked to come clean on some injustices facing Kenyans.

This is not the case with our Jubilee leaders and they must understand that we are only trying to help them,” he said.

Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo said more Saba Sabas would be witnessed in the country until all the crucial matters were addressed.

“A people united will never be defeated. We will work day and night until we change the way things are done in this country by this government,” he said.