Leaders urge Raila Odinga to cancel swearing-in plans
Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi, Tharaka-Nithi Senator Kithure Kindiki and Imenti South MP Kathuri Murungi on January 20, 2018. The leaders asked Nasa leader Raila Odinga to cancel his swearing-in plans. PHOTO | PHOEBE OKALL | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The leaders said President Uhuru Kenyatta was already constitutionally sworn in.
- They called for dialogue to maintain peace in Kenya.
A section of politicians have asked Nasa leaders to cancel the planned swearing-in of principals Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka.
Nyamira Governor John Nyagarama, his Meru counterpart Kiraitu Murungi, Senate Deputy Speaker Kithure Kindiki and MPs from Meru County urged Nasa leaders to embrace dialogue.
OATH PLANS
They spoke on Saturday at the funeral of former KTDA chairman Stephen Mutai Imanyara at Kagwampungu Primary School in Imenti South.
“I am sending Governor Nyagarama to Raila Odinga to ask him to forego the swearing-in ceremony. We elected a president who was constitutionally sworn into office,” Imenti North MP Rahim Dawood said.
Mr Kindiki, the Tharaka-Nithi senator, described the oath plans as a waste of time, adding that the Constitution is clear on how to become President.
“The swearing-in is untenable. The president is ready to dialogue with the opposition leaders,” Prof Kindiki said.
TALKS
Governor Nyagarama, a Nasa elected leader, asked opposition leaders to embrace dialogue, saying Kenyans want peace.
“Let people sit and talk. It does not matter if you are in government or opposition. If anything happens in this country, both opposition and government will be affected. We want the two gentlemen [President Uhuru Kenyatta and Mr Odinga] to meet and talk,” he said.
Governor Murungi said the matter was being handled by competent people and Kenyans should not be concerned.
“Let Mr Odinga be sworn in. We want to see where he will go. The Kenyan police officers will give him protection as he goes home after being sworn in as the people’s’ president. Let your hearts not be troubled by the said swearing-in plans,” he said.
EULOGY
Kenya Tea Development Authority officials, including the CEO Lerionka Tiampati and chairman Peter Kanyago, eulogised the late Imanyara as a hard working leader who united small-scale tea farmers countrywide.
“Mr Imanyara was undoubtedly the single largest smallholder farmer. If he had desired he would have put up his own factory but he believed in the smallholder model of shared facility.
“He never departed from the smallholder tea model of ownership in what represents his unshakeable belief in the system and identity with the small-scale tea farmers,” Mr Tiampati said.
The former KTDA chairman is survived by a widow – Honesty Kanyua – five children and several grandchildren.
