Raila Odinga orders Nasa MPs to attend county assembly sessions

Nasa leader Raila Odinga, who has asked MPs aligned to his coalition to attend county assemblies sessions across the country. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The opposition has crafted a motion that will be tabled in all Nasa-controlled counties from next week to allow the formation of the people's assemblies in the devolved units.
  • The Raila Odinga-led National Super Alliance (Nasa) has fashioned the assemblies as the way out of their refusal to accept the declaration of President Uhuru Kenyatta as the winner in the October 26 repeat presidential election.

All Nasa MPs have been directed to put off all engagements in Nairobi and attend sessions at the county assemblies where the motion on the establishment of a People’s Assembly is expected to go on today.

Opposition leader Raila in a statement sent to newsrooms last evening directed the MPs to attend and stand in solidarity with county assemblies as they debate.

Mr Odinga who is currently in the US asked the Parliamentary wing of the National Resistance Movement of to be at the assemblies and provide guidance to ward representatives on the motion.

The people’s assembly is one of the ways the opposition is using to seek for a repeat of the presidential election in February 2018.

MOTION

The assembly, as announced by Mr Odinga last week on Tuesday, will comprise governors and deputy governors, members of the Senate, National Assembly and County Assembly, religious, trade union and civil society leaders; and representatives of youth and women’s organisations.

In the motion, Nasa is demanding a “truly independent” electoral commission which will conduct fresh elections before or on February 9, review of the 2010 constitution by reframing the structure of the executive, parliament and devolution and reinforce concrete measures for promotion of inclusivity as well as questioning the constitutionality and legitimacy of the President Kenyatta presidency.

The Motion was unveiled by Nasa co-principals Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetangula on Tuesday at the opposition’s office Okoa Kenya in Lavington.

“By and large, we are confident that our county assemblies are well-briefed on the Motion following our session with the governors and the MCAs will be equal to the task when the Motion is tabled tomorrow. Still, it is a new territory and we ask our members of the National Assembly and the Senate who have had more time to ventilate on this matter to show up at the counties tomorrow (today) in solidarity and for guidance.” Mr Odinga said in a statement to newsrooms last evening.

The Siaya County Assembly yesterday became the first county assembly to adopt the proposal to set up a people’s assembly as a way of forcing a repeat presidential election in February 2018.

19 COUNTIES

The Bill awaiting assent by Governor Cornel Rasanga recommended the formation of a people’s assembly to discuss and determine the affairs of the country, the constitution of a special college to observe the people’s assembly, strengthening of independent bodies such as the police, IEBC, and the National Intelligence Service (NIS).

The Bill has been sent to all 19 counties allied to the opposition.

The opposition have also announced economic boycott of products from Safaricom, Bidco industries and Brookside whom they claim are supporting and participated in rigging the August poll.

Nasa accused Safaricom of aiding rigging of August poll in favour of President Kenyatta, a claim the firm has previously denied and dismissed.

The Raila Odinga-led coalition, on the other hand, accused Brookside and Bidco of funding President Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party and therefore part of a regime stifling democracy.