NASA set in motion calls to people's assembly and operationalise NRM

NASA leaders Raila Odinga and Musalia Mudavadi address the press at Okoa Kenya offices in Nairobi. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

The Opposition has set in motion its plans to destabilise the Jubilee government through civil disobedience and boycotting certain products.

A 15-member National Super Alliance (NASA) committee will this weekend start issuing the list of products by firms they claim are sympathetic to Jubilee Party.

Also, the establishment of peoples’ assemblies as announced by NASA chief Raila Odinga will be rolled out from next week.

NASA principals yesterday held a closed-door meeting with governors allied to the Opposition in Nairobi to bring them up to speed on the plans and how to effectively play their roles.

Simultaneously, a group of NASA legislators convened at Capitol Hill to deliberate on economic sabotage in line with their policy on non-cooperation with Jubilee and civil defiance.

Review Constitution

“Governors from NASA today approved the coalition’s plans to set up a People’s Assembly and initiate a review of the Constitution particularly to safeguard and strengthen devolution in line with the pronouncement by principals earlier this week,” said NASA Chief Executive Officer Norman Magaya.

He continued: “The People’s National Assembly will comprise governors and deputy governors; members of the Senate, National Assembly and County Assembly; religious, trade union and civil society leaders; and representatives of youth and women organisations.”

He disclosed that the meeting resolved to take the proposal to their county assemblies for approval and mobilise grassroot leaders to the conference when it is convened.

Magaya confirmed during the meeting presided over by NASA principals Raila, Musalia Mudavadi and Senator Moses Wetang’ula (Bungoma) that the governors were also briefed and approved the coalition’s plan to form a special committee to review the Constitution to address six key issues.

Governors expressed deep concern about operations at the devolved units and cited frustration with the non-disbursement of funds to the counties.

They pledged to back any efforts, including constitutional amendments, that would shield counties from the stifling hold of the national government.

Pathway to democracy

According to a source privy to the meeting, the governors discussed how the peoples’ assemblies would be legally constituted.

“The NASA technical committee will draft a memorandum that will be sent to the county governments, where the governors in charge will ensure it is tabled before the cabinet for approval,” said the NASA insider.

“It will be introduced in the county assemblies as a Bill. The assemblies will pass motions and resolutions of a peoples’ assembly and commit to implement the assembly resolution,” the source added.

The mini assemblies will be at the grassroots with the main gathering in Nairobi.

A convention will be held in Nairobi to discuss and determine the pathway to democracy.

Embrace reforms

“The convention shall make decisions and recommendations to achieve democracy, constitutionalism and to restore legality and will form any bodies or organise other platforms for purposes of attaining its declared objectives,” said Mr Magaya.

The work of the mini assemblies will be to identify delegates and general mobilisation at the grassroots.

The technical team led by David Ndii is drafting the memorandum and is almost through.

The peoples’ assemblies will be required to explain to locals the importance of the planned roadmap on civil disobedience to put pressure on President Uhuru Kenyatta’s government to embrace NASA’s version of reforms.

“We will soon be in full force. The technical team is drafting the memo. Both the National Resistance Movement (NRM) wing and the peoples’ assemblies organ will work hand in hand,” said another NASA insider. “The twin process is on course.”

Demonstrations will resume next week and will be done in a very structured way, similar to those done by civil society groups.

Raila has said the strategies are meant to register displeasure with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC)’s conduct in the run-up to the repeat presidential poll held on October 26.

He has dismissed Uhuru’s win, saying it was a sham and the only way out of the current political impasse was to undertake institutional reforms.

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