Nairobi News

GeneralMust ReadNews

Odinga: Rogue elements will ‘confuse’ handshake


Raila Odinga has warned that some ‘rogue elements’ in President Uhuru Kenyatta’s government could ‘confuse’ the handshake.

He made the statement on Wednesday and specifically called out what he claimed was police force and intimidation at the Bonchari and Juja mini-polls held on Tuesday.

“The peaceful co-existence post-2018 must not be taken for granted by some rogue elements wanting to confuse the handshake for an excuse to erode our hard-earned liberties,” Odinga wrote on Twitter.

The handshake is a political peace pact arrived at by President Kenyatta and the opposition leader in the aftermath of the chaotic 2017 elections.

It is the second time in two months that Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party is alleging rigging and other election-related irregularities in a by-election.

“What we have witnessed in the by-elections in Bonchari and Juja is an abuse of police powers and an arrogant display of impunity by a few overzealous and bellicose government functionaries,” he said.

He pointed out that an election process is an opportunity for the voters to express their will at the ballot and not an avenue to pursue” imaginary and short-legged political interests.”

ODM candidate Pavel Oimeke won the Bonchari seat, with 8,049.

Jubilee Party’s Zebedeo Opore was second with 7,279 votes while United Democratic Alliance (UDA)’S Teresa Bitutu took position three with 6,964 votes.