Here’s Raila’s big announcement
The National Super Alliance (Nasa) has, for the first time since President Kenyatta was re-elected, spoken on October 26 repeat presidential election.
The Raila Odinga-led coalition on Tuesday dismissed the poll as a “fraud” and vowed not to recognise Mr Kenyatta and his government.
DEMOS
Instead, Nasa said it would push for the formation of the People Assembly to run Kenya until a legitimate executive is elected and formed.
“Today we establish People’s Assembly to restore democracy in the country,” Mr Odinga said at Okoa Kenya headquarters in Nairobi.
“The People’s Assembly will have the youth, religious leaders, economic interest groups and the civil society.”
Nasa, he said, would present petitions for the establishment of the new outfit to govern Kenya to county assemblies for discussion and adoption.
“The assembly’s timetable to be released soon,” he said.
In the meantime, Mr Odinga said, Nasa’s resistance wing (NRM) would embark on vigorous pro-democracy campaign through economic boycotts and picketing.
Mr Odinga cast aspersions on the preparation and conduct of the repeat presidential election, saying it fell short of the standards set by poll laws, the Constitution and the Supreme Court.
NUMBERS
He said the poll was conducted by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEBC) as directed by the apex court.
Instead, he claimed the government, through county police commanders and Jubilee politicians, ran the show.
He claimed numbers were inflated in several Jubilee strongholds to give Mr Kenyatta a win and create an impression that Kenyans took part in the exercise.
He cited the altercation between Kandara MP Alice Wahome and an IEBC returning officer in Murang’a as proof that Jubilee politicians were calling the shots during the election.
He also referred to an alleged one-hour meeting he held with Wafula Chebukati in which he claimed the IEBC chairman said he was not ready to hold the poll within 60 days.
TURNOUT
Mr Chebukati, he claimed, promised tell President Kenyatta to either agree to postpone the elections or he would resign.
The Nasa leader also pointed to IEBC’s failure to give turnout of the poll in good time— yet its Kenya Integrated Election Management System (Kiems) gives updates every two hours— as proof of fraud.
“IEBC manufactured voter turnout to ensure Uhuru gets more numbers,” he said.
He said Nasa figures shows the turnout was 3.4 million and not 7.6 million as announced by the polls agency.
“This election must not stand as it is a mockery of the democracy that We have fought for… if allowed to stand, it will completely discourage people from choosing their leaders through the ballot,” he said.