Keep away from polling stations, Nasa tells voters
Nasa leaders led by Raila Odinga, Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetang’ula address their supporters in Machakos on October 24, 2017. PHOTO | DENNIS KAVISU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Raila said even if the IEBC goes ahead with an uncompetitive election after their pull-out, Mr Kenyatta will have forced himself on Kenyans and will therefore be an illegitimate president.
- Mr Odinga said President Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto will be surprised to see all polling stations virtually deserted.
- Mr Odinga said Nasa had credible information that the ground had been set for another round of elaborate rigging.
National Super Alliance (Nasa) leader Raila Odinga led his team to Kitui and Makueni counties, urging residents to boycott Thursday’s repeat presidential election.
Mr Odinga urged the Kamba to heed the call by opposition leaders, including his running mate Kalonzo Musyoka and Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu, by staying away from polling stations in order to deny the Jubilee Party legitimacy.
He said even if the electoral commission goes ahead with an uncompetitive election after their pull-out, Mr Kenyatta will have forced himself on Kenyans and will therefore be an illegitimate president.
“We have said there will be no election on Thursday because our proposals on the changes we wanted effected on IEBC have been ignored and, therefore, participating would amount to coronating (sic) Uhuru Kenyatta for second term,” he said in Kitui.
Without elaborating on the plans the opposition has to ensure that no elections are held, Mr Odinga said President Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto will be surprised to see all polling stations virtually deserted.
JUBILEE
He said two thirds of Kenyans were against going into polls under such shoddy preparations by IEBC and accused Jubilee of forcing themselves on the Kenyan people.
Mr Odinga said Nasa had credible information that the ground had been set for another round of elaborate rigging, citing as proof IEBC chief executive Ezra Chiloba’s failure to resign from office as demanded.
“Those insisting that we should have agreed to participate do not understand that the situation as it is now will make us appear like flower girls in the election unless radical changes are made at IEBC,” he said, adding that their position has been vindicated by the resignation of Commissioner Roselyn Akombe. The opposition leaders told campaign rallies in Kitui, Machakos and Makueni counties that boycotting the repeat poll was the only way to protest the electoral agency’s failure to institute credible reforms as ordered by the Supreme Court.
KEEP VIGIL
Nasa co-principals Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetang’ula were also present, and so was Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho and Mrs Ngilu, who said President Kenyatta had failed to provide leadership that could hold the country together. She also assured the Nasa principals that there would be no elections in Ukambani.
Mr Wetang’ula urged the Kamba to emulate Nasa supporters in Western and Nyanza regions who have promised to keep vigil at polling stations to turn away those who intend to vote.
Mr Mudavadi asked security chiefs to order the police to work with restraint on Thursday.
“Holding demonstration is a democratic right and will be wrong for Jubilee to use militia like goons to attack Nasa supporters who may be forced to go to the streets to air their grievances,” said the Amani leader.
