Breaking News
Login
Pan African Visions

Odinga Returns To Kenya With A Bang

January 23, 2023

By Samuel Ouma [caption id="attachment_103893" align="alignnone" width="960"] Odinga addressing a rally at Kamukunji[/caption] Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga jetted back into the country on Monday from a working trip in South Africa. The AU envoy was received at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by a section of leaders allied with the opposition. Thereafter, the Azimio La Umoja presidential flagbearer in the 2022 general elections held a rally at Nairobi's Kamukunji ground. During the rally, Odinga announced that the coalition does not recognize William Ruto as illegally elected President of Kenya and his entire government. "We as Azimio reject the 2022 election results totally. We cannot and will not recognize the Kenya Kwanza regime and term its government as illegitimate,” said Odinga. "We do not recognize William Ruto as the president of Kenya and we equally do not recognize any officials in office with him.” According to Odinga, the Supreme Court and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) were infiltrated by cartels. He claimed that IEBC chair Chebukati, CEO Marjan Hussein and two commissioners, Adi Guliye and Boya Molu, cooked the presidential results. He also criticized the Supreme Institution for dismissing his suit against Ruto's victory, claiming the court was just as corrupted by so-called cartels. “We know what happened next at the Supreme Court. A compromised court failed to declare the true victor, annul the elections or order a rerun because of the glaring violations of the law and the constitution by the IEBC,” reiterated Odinga. He demanded that the entire infrastructure and the records of the 2022 elections at the IEBC be made public and be audited by an impartial body. At the same time, he implored his followers to reject the "empty promises" made by Ruto's administration, charging that it was enacting "punitive measures" to make Kenyans' lives intolerable. He further asked Kenyans to resist and demand the removal of the punitive taxes that have led to punitive costs of basic products and services, including Unga, milk, sugar, school books, fuel, electricity, bus fare, paraffin and school fees. “UDA (ruling party) is resorting to these policies because it was not ready and it did not get any mandate to govern,” he said The ODM party leader further called for Ruto and his officials to resign. He also announced that the Jacaranda Grounds in Nairobi would host the first protest rallies on Sunday, January 29. The leader of Azimio addressed a recent dossier purporting to be from an IEBC (Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission) whistleblower and asserting that Odinga had won the poll on August 9. According to the report, Odinga triumphed in the election with 8,170,355 votes against Ruto's 5,919,973 votes.      

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Pan African Visions
Cameroon: Journalist Martinez Zogo's Abduction, Dead Raises Indignation Over Press Freedom
January 23, 2023 Prev
Pan African Visions
Technip Energies Announces the Sail Away of bp Greater Tortue Ahmeyim FPSO
January 23, 2023 Next