Police dispersed crowd at Raila Odinga’s rally along Manyanja Road, Eastlands, on Tuesday afternoon after the NASA leader announced that he would be ‘sworn-in’ as President on Jamhuri Day.
"I am not a coward, I will be sworn as president on Jamhuri Day, I am the legitimate president," said Raila. He also said that he did not recognise the August 8 and October 26, 2017 elections conducted by IEBC, insisting they were shambolic.
The NASA leader and his entourage were on their way to Jacaranda grounds in Nairobi's Embakasi area for the planned memorial service for 27 supporters killed during election protests.
This contradicts the postion of three NASA principals, Raila Odinga, Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetang’ula who had earlier resolved that there was no legal basis to hold a swearing-in ceremony parallel to Uhuru Kenyatta’s inauguration.
“We are not swearing-in Raila. No such thing will take place. If you listened to Raila very carefully, it is clear he himself cannot do such a thing,” said Bungoma Senator Wetang’ula.
Raila is said to have further explained it was a risk he would not want to take, given his record in the fight for democracy and international image.
Running battles
On Tuesday morning, police in full anti-riot gear had sealed off the Jacaranda grounds and lobbed teargas cans to disperse the National Super Alliance (NASA) supporters who had tried to access the venue.
Protesters engaged police in running battles as they lit fires and barricaded roads leading to the venue.
Raila was accompanied by NASA principals Musalia Mudavadi, Moses Wetang’ula, Governors Hassan Joho (Mombasa), Anyang’ Nyong’o (Kisumu), and former Machakos Senator Johnson Muthama.
