Nasa chief Raila Odinga and residents of Kawangware after attending a
service at Gatina PAG Church on October 29, 2017. Mr Odinga said he was
not planning to quit politics. EVANS HABIL | NATION
The National Super Alliance was on Sunday rooting for a new
presidential election in 90 days even as its leader Raila Odinga told
off those demanding his retirement from politics.
Mr
Odinga, who spoke in the city’s violence-hit Kawangware 56
neighbourhood, said President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto
had lost the mandate of talking on behalf of Kenyans following the low
turnout in the repeat election, which Nasa boycotted.
“Our position is to carry out a credible election in 90 days,” he told the crowd in his short speech.
“They
are saying that Kenyans are tired of electioneering but I am telling
them that the country is tired of their prevarication, of their refusal
to have a proper election.”
He was accompanied by MPs
Chris Wamalwa (Kiminini), Millie Odhiambo (Suba South), George Aladwa
(Makadara), Simba Arati (Dagoretti North) and Woman Reps Gladys Wanga
(Homa Bay), Florence Mutua (Busia) and Esther Passaris (Nairobi).
BOYCOTT
Mr Odinga said Nasa’s call on Kenyans to
boycott the October 26 election was successful and had denied Jubilee
the mandate to lead the country.
“We told people to stay at home and they heeded our call,” he said.
“The President and his deputy have lost the mandate to speak on behalf of Kenyans. They only speak for themselves.”
He
also discredited the repeat election turnout, which IEBC chairman
Wafula Chebukati last evening put at 43 per cent, saying the Kenya
Integrated Electoral Management System kits were manipulated for a
Kenyatta win.
KIEMS KITS
“Nasa
wanted IEBC servers and the Kiems kits cleaned, but it did not happen.
We did not see the reason for participating in an election whose outcome
was already predetermined.”
Since October 26, Kawangware 56, which is in Mr Arati’s constituency, has been a battle zone, pitting rival youth groups.
Property valued at millions of shillings has been destroyed in the orgy of violence despite a heavy police presence.
Mr Odinga said Jubilee leaders had failed to lower poverty levels and improve the living standards of Kenyans.
“They
are saying that I am very old and I cannot lead the country, but I want
to tell them that one can be young but with a very old mindset. Nasa
has good policies to eradicate poverty,” said Mr Odinga.
President
Kenyatta, Mr Ruto and a section of Jubilee lawmakers have been leading
the chorus that the Nasa leader and his deputy Kalonzo Musyoka quit
politics.
REFORMS
Mr
Odinga, who pulled out of the presidential election rerun, citing lack
of IEBC willingness to implement reforms, said Kenya needed a selfless
leader “who can deal with tribalism, corruption and unemployment, which
the Kenyatta leadership has miserably failed to address”.
He also accused President Kenyatta of interfering with the running of courts.
“They are now targeting the Judiciary in order to rule by force,” said the opposition chief.
SUPREME COURT
Last week, a quorum hitch at the Supreme Court aborted the hearing of a petition to postpone the presidential election.
On
the same day, the Appeals Court failed to hear a case against the
candidacy of Dr Ekuru Aukot, saying it was a public holiday.
The court then set aside the judgment of the High Court that found IEBC to have illegally hired 290 returning officers.
Nasa said the setting aside of Justice George Odunga’s orders was in the interest of Jubilee.
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