Raila to unveil team on Sunday ahead of his swearing-in

NASA strategy committee members Koitamet ole Kina (left), Oduor Ong'wen (centre) and David Ndii address the press at the Okoa Kenya secretariat yesterday. [Beverlyne Musili| Standard]

The National Super Alliance (NASA) has scheduled meetings with delegates from 23 counties in the lead-up to January 30 swearing-in of Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka as the people’s president and deputy respectively.

The two Opposition leaders will use the National People’s Assembly forum to take oath as they plan to unveil a parallel administration to counter President Uhuru Kenyatta, whose victory they have vowed not to recognise.

Yesterday, NASA said it had assembled an “Assumption of Office” committee to make preparations for the planned inauguration but declined to reveal the names.

Treason charge

Attorney General Githu Muigai has warned that any attempt by NASA leaders to establish a parallel government would be unlawful and would attract a treason charge punishable by death.

This came even as the Opposition coalition released a programme of the people’s assembly that will culminate in a "main assembly" to be held in Nairobi’s Uhuru Park on January 30.

This weekend, Raila will inaugurate the first of such series with a meeting in Kakamega that will bring together the western counties of Vihiga, Busia, Kakamega, Bungoma and Trans Nzoia.

At the event, the NASA chief is expected to make public details of the plan to swear him in and unveil a committee to oversee the process.

“This Sunday, we head to Western Kenya to continue with people-driven initiative to ensure electoral justice and self-determination in our country. The details of the programme and nature of events to be held in Kakamega will be disclosed by the NASA leadership in Western Kenya,” Organising Committee of the People’s Assembly said in a statement.

Speaking at Okoa Kenya offices in Nairobi, the Organising Committee said the event will be a continuation of what started at the Coast on December 17, last year, when the region set in motion the People’s Assembly process.

From Kakamega, the NASA brigade will head to the lower Eastern region where delegates from Kitui, Machakos and Makueni converge in Machakos on January 13 for a similar event.

The forum will then return to Coast region on January 21 where the counties of Mombasa, Kilifi, Kwale, Tana River and Taita Taveta meet in Mombasa to make their declaration.

From Coast, the NASA chiefs will be in the Maa region with a people's assembly meeting in Narok on January 24 before proceeding to Luo Nyanza with a similar event to be held in Migori, bringing together counties of Kisumu, Siaya, Homa Bay and the host county.

On January 28, the forum will be held in Kisii town, bringing together delegates from Nyamira and Kisii counties ahead of the final event at Uhuru Park two days later, where the inauguration is expected to take place.

“We are of course alive to the fact that the public is very eager to hear about the swearing-in of the people’s president and deputy president. This is on course. It will be the biggest public event that Kenya has seen since independence,” committee member Oduor Ong’wen said.

Ong’wen, who was accompanied by NASA strategist David Ndii, added: “An Assumption of Office Committee, which is already in place and working, will be unveiled in the coming days, and that committee will be keeping you informed.”

The Constitution and the Assumption of the Office of the President Act provide for the procedure and ceremony for the assumption of the office of President by the President-elect, in accordance with Article 141 of the Constitution.

President Uhuru Kenyatta took the oath of office on November 28 at a public ceremony witnessed by Chief Justice David Maraga following his re-election on October 26 presidential election, which was boycotted by Raila.

Raila had successfully petitioned the Supreme Court to nullify Uhuru’s victory in the August 8 presidential election but the apex court subsequently upheld his win in the repeat vote.  

Although there has been confusion on what exactly the Opposition’s forum intends to achieve, NASA insists that through People’s Assemblies, they are breathing life into the foundation of the Constitution, namely the Supremacy of the Constitution and Sovereignty of the People.

No power

Some of Raila’s critics have dismissed the threat to have him sworn in, saying he does not have the instruments of power and required institutions such as the military and the Judiciary which play a key role in a presidential inauguration.  

Some have also scoffed at the threat saying even if he were to take oath of office, he will not occupy State House.

“You don’t have to go to State House. Even the man in State House currently could not mobilise supporters to go to Kasarani on Jamhuri Day. In other countries such as Iran, the supreme ruler does not have an office but still controls the country,” Ndii said.