Former CJ Willy Mutunga’s interesting position on Raila Odinga’s ‘swearing in’
Former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga has termed the ‘swearing in’ of former prime minister Raila Odinga’s as the ‘people’s president’ as patriotic.
One year since the famous swearing in ceremony of the opposition leader, Mutunga has now said the idea was good for the growth of the opposition in the country.
While responding to a tweet that was commemorating the January 30 ceremony, Mutunga said the country needs a real opposition.
“The idea behind the swearing in was patriotic: to grow a strong opposition. Sadly, the idea lasted 38 days. We still yearn for authentic opposition,” he wrote on twitter.
The National Super Alliance supporters were celebrating one year since the ‘swearing in’ of Odinga during a ceremony held at Uhuru Park, Nairobi.
A day after the event, the oath administrator, Ruaraka MP TJ Kajwang, was arrested and lawyer Miguna Miguna’s home raided on February 2 leading to his arrest and consequent deportation.
NASA leaders held public rallies even as others who were involved in the swearing in rushed to court to block their impending arrests.
Some of the opposition leaders raised issue with the government interfering with their travel documents after they were barred from leaving the country when Odinga was traveling to attend Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s burial.
On March 9 the coalition announced that Odinga and President Uhuru Kenyatta would hold a joint press conference in which they announced plans to unite the country in what became popularly known as the handshake.