On Election Eve, Opposition leader
Raila Odinga rebranded NASA as
a national resistance movement
to defy “illegitimate government”
and boycott goods and services
benefi ting “dictatorship”.
The former Prime Minister
yesterday repeated his call for a
nationwide boycott of today’s “sham’
presidential rerun but called on
his supporters not to demonstrate,
lest they be massacred by a “bloodthirsty
regime”.
Hold prayers away from polling
stations or stay home, he told a
cheering crowd at Uhuru Park.
Yesterday, for the first time
in its history, the Supreme
Court failed to muster a quorum,
prompting furious speculation as
to why.Only two of seven justices,
including CJ Maraga, were present
and unable to rule on a petition to
postpone the election today.
Meanwhile, security was
tightened countrywide, especially in
opposition strongholds and hotspots
where opposition supporters have
pledged there will be no polling.
The IEBC said it was ready, but
in some places, there were far too
few offi cers because they had been
threatened by opposition youths.
Raila said the resistance
movement will “strive to restore
a government established in
compliance with the Constitution”.
The resistance will convene a
People’s Assembly to chart the way
forward and press for “a fresh, free,
fair presidential election organized
in 90 days,” he said.
The rerun is coup meant to
unlawfully propel President Uhuru
Kenyatta and DP Ruto to power he
and other opposition leaders said.
On Friday, Raila said, the
resistance will “embark on a
campaign of defiance of illegitimate
governmental authority and noncorporation
with all its organs”.
“We will not respect Uhuru, Ruto,
regional commissioners, county
commissioners and all that trash,”
he said.
By attempting to establish an
unlawful government, Uhuru and
Ruto have “invited us to exercise
our sovereign power directly as
enshrined in the very first Article of
our Constitution. The invitation is
accepted,” Raila said.
“From tomorrow, the duty of
every citizen who respects our
Constitution is to restrict dictatorship
and to fight to restore a government
established in compliance with the
Constitution. We are transforming
the NASA coalition into a resistance
movement,” he said.
President Kenyatta addressed
the nation later, calmly calling for
peace, order and healing, making no
mention of Odinga.
However, National Assembly
and Senate majority leaders Aden
Duale and Kipchumba Murkomen
condemned Raila’s comments,
saying he was planning to clinch
power through violence.
“Raila fi nally formed an armed
resistance movement to take power
through the bullet, not the ballot.
Sohe’s using the barrel of the gun to
ascend to power. Sad day for NASA.”
Murkomen said, “It’s time NASA
governors, senators, MPs and MCAs
boycott salaries paid by Uhuru’s
government, resign and wait for
NASA elections after 90 days”.
Raila accused Uhuru and Ruto
of defying the Supreme Court by
participating in a poll that would
only guarantee them victory. On
September 1, the court nullifiedUhuru’s win, saying the process
was riddled with irregularities and
illegalities.
The ex PM, joined by NASA
co-principals Moses Wetang’ula
and Musalia Mudavadi, said they
would boycott goods and services
from companies that benefit the
government.
Raila accused Uhuru and Ruto
of trying to create dictatorship
by subverting the constitution
and democracy achieved by the
country’s founding forefathers.
“We shall convene our People’s
Assembly for the purposes of
charting our way forward back to
constitutionalism and democracy.
We shall mobilise all progressive
forces in the country to ensure that
a fresh, free and fair presidential
election is organized withing 90
days,” Raila said.
He accused the Jubilee
administration of trying to use its
“superiority complex” in Parliament
to change contentious election
laws, violating international best
practices and “snatching away”
the achievements made by the
Constitution.
“We are aware the blood thirsty
regime is planning to use every
excuse to massacre our people.
Instead, we ask Kenyans who value
democracy and justice to hold
vigil prayers away from the polling
stations or stay at home,” Raila said.
He cautioned his supporters
against profiling people along tribal
lines, saying that tribalism was used
by the country’s coloniser to divide
people.
“Do not castigate any person or
ethnic community. Do not look
at your brother and sister with
suspicion. He or she is a victim, as
are you. Do not insult or assault
them. Help them open their eyes to
see the great country you aspire for,”
he said.
Wetang’ula said they had
resolved to kick off the third
liberation of the country, adding
that the Jubilee administration has
been intimidating other arms of
government to retain power.
He claimed the fi ve Supreme
Court justices failed to turn up for a
crucial sitting yesterday after being
intimidated.
Wetang’ula alleged Jubilee has
managed to use IEBC to create
unoffi cial polling stations in the
country and ensure controversial
Al- Ghurair publishing company
prints the ballot papers. NASA
insisted it must go, as must IT firm
OT-Morpho and key members of the
IEBC Secretariat.
Raila withdrew from the
presidential contest on October 10,
saying the election could not be free,
fair or credible. He called for a totally
new election and nominations, not
a rerun, in 90 days.
Uhuru has since maintained there
is no question of his legitimacy and
he is not a caretaker President.
“If we get 70+1 votes, will
anybody question the legitimacy
of my victory? Don’t be misled by
speculation. This time round, we
will get 70+1 votes, whether he
[Raila] will be on the ballot or not,”
Uhuru said.
“There will be no dialogue with
Raila until after elections. The
government will not be formed in
the boardroom. The people of Kenya
will elect the government they
choose,” Uhuru said.
Yesterday, electoral agency
chairman Wafula Chebukati
declared, “Fellow Kenyans, I wish to
announce to you today on behalf of
the IEBC that based on assurances
given to this commission by the
relevant authorities, the elections
as scheduled, will go on tomorrow,
October 26 and all polling stations
will open at 6am and close at 5pm.”
In the past he said he could
not guarantee a credible election
given the poisonous political
environment.
While there are no plans to
close any polling stations, he said
if trouble erupts, voting could be
postponed.