Cat and mouse game ahead of Raila Odinga return

Leaders of the National Super Alliance have maintained they will mobilise thousands of their supporters to the airport this morning to welcome their leader Raila Odinga who has been on a 10-day visit to the US.

Mr Odinga is expected back this morning after the US visit where he spoke at the Centre for International and Strategic Studies. His staff said he also met the Committee on Africa of the House of Representatives, among other congressional and business leaders.

ARREST

Signs that a show down is expected at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport was clear Thursday after MPs Babu Owino (Embakasi East), Tom Kajwang  (Ruaraka ) and Steve Mbogo, who vied and lost for Starehe constituency in August 8 elections, were arrested and briefly detained at Kilimani police station as they headed to Kibra for a rally.

Police confirmed the arrest and said the MPs were questioned before being released.

Nasa coordination committee co-chairman James Orengo on Thursday said they will defy police and welcome Mr Odinga with their supporters at JKIA. Police said the presence of crowds at the airport would compromise the security of the facility.

“The airport is a public facility built by our taxpayers, nobody can prevent us and our supporters from accessing it any time. Let our supporters come out in millions and send a statement to Jubilee that the people’s president has arrived,” Mr Orengo said yesterday outside the airport.

“We will resist this form of dictatorship that the government wants to subject us to. No amount of force will stop us from welcoming our leader. Jubilee supporters did it before while welcoming President Uhuru Kenyatta from Hague and it is now our turn,” he added.

CHASE

The Nasa MPs, who addressed their supporters yesterday at Kamukunji grounds in Kibra, Nairobi, asked Nasa supporters to turn up in their numbers Friday to receive their leaders Mr Raila Odinga and his deputy Mr Kalonzo Musyoka.

The opposition leaders on Thursday engaged the police in a hide and seek chase as the officers sealed off two venues where the MPs had planned to hold the rallies.

At the Kibra grounds, the leaders said they were forced to sneak in using motorcycles and bodabodas as police officers searched vehicles entering the sprawling slums.

The leaders arrived in groups led by ODM chairman John Mbadi, Mbita MP Millie Odhiambo and Siaya senator James Orengo.

Mr Odinga and Mr Musyoka are expected at the JKIA at 11am.

Siaya Senator James Orengo, former Senators Boni Khalwale (Kakamega) and Johnston Muthama led more than 10 MPs at the rally in declaring their unwavering support to their leader.

POWER

“Any government that lives in fear of its people, should not be in power. If they try to swear in Uhuru using the October 26 results, we will swear in Raila using our own tallies from the August 8 elections,” Mr Orengo said.

Mr Mbadi said Jubilee must know that Mr Kenyatta is not the President but is exercising temporary presidency.

“He should stop masquerading as the president in the name of intimidating us. If they want to arrest us, let them be prepared to arrest our millions of supporters,” Mr Mbadi said.

Dr Khalwale said he was forced to abandon his car and walk for about three kilometres to the venue of the rally after he was blocked by police.

“They blocked us but let them know that we will not tire in our quest to liberate Kenya. The police have no idea that we are equally fighting for their rights. JKIA is not a military installation or a restricted area,” said Dr Khalwale.