Time for talks is over, Nasa tells President Kenyatta

Nasa leaders during a rally at Machakos bus park on January 19, 2018 after the inauguration of the People’s Assembly, Lower Eastern chapter, at Machakos Golf club. PHOTO | DENNIS KAVISU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Mr Odinga said the Nasa leadership was going round the country listening to the views of citizens before taking the oath at the end of the month.

  • Raila said President Kenyatta was now interfering with the Police Service by appointing certain officers and demoting others, which is not what the constitution envisaged.

  • Mr Musyoka said they will not flee after swearing themselves into office.

  • Bungoma County Senator Moses Wetangula said the country was at a crossroads and there would be sacrifices to make a better Kenya.

National Super Alliance leaders on Friday inaugurated the People’s Assembly for the Lower Eastern region in Machakos, where they declared that the time for dialogue with the Jubilee government had lapsed.

Various leaders, including Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Wavinya Ndeti, who advanced the need for dialogue, were overruled by the crowd that shouted in favour of the leaders’ planned swearing-in on January 30.

Mr Odinga said the Nasa leadership was going round the country listening to the views of citizens before taking the oath at the end of the month.

“The People’s Assembly is a forum for us to listen to what Kenyans are saying. We have been to Coast, Western and now Ukambani region. We will go everywhere because this is the voice of Kenyans,” said Mr Odinga at the Machakos Bus Park.

He said there was a problem which needed to be resolved and Kenyans will not ‘accept and move on’, adding they had the full results of the August 8 General Election.

Mr Odinga said they will go by the result of the August election.

RESPECT CONSTITUTION

“The problem we have now is because some people have refused to respect the Constitution we passed in Bomas. They also do not respect independent institutions,” he said.

He said President Kenyatta was now interfering with the Police Service by appointing certain officers and demoting others, which is not what the constitution envisaged.

Mr Odinga told Wiper Party chairman Kivutha Kibwana not to bother about 2022 politics as the issue at hand was how to reclaim their stolen victory.

“For now let us concentrate on the animal which we have hunted and killed. In 2022 we will help Kalonzo to hunt for the animal in the bush,” said Mr Odinga.

Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka cautioned Kenyans on the consequences of not holding dialogue in time, saying  now the people of Somalia are holding dialogue but under very difficult conditions.

He said the European Union had recommended dialogue between President Kenyatta and Raila Odinga but the Jubilee leaders had turned a deaf ear.

DIALOGUE

“If we don’t hold dialogue between now and January 30 we will hold dialogue under very difficult circumstances,” Mr Musyoka warned.

Mr Musyoka said they will not flee after swearing themselves into office.

“Today brother Raila I want to caution you. You will go nowhere. This country is ours. We cannot go to exile and leave it for other people to mismanage. Tutakanyagania hapa (we will square it out here),” said Mr Musyoka.

Mr Odinga told the Voice of America earlier in the week that he could even run the government from exile. 

Nasa co-principal Musalia Mudavadi said their resolve to swear in Mr Odinga and Mr Musyoka had not changed as it was not spurred by selfish gain but to ensure justice for Kenyans and respect for the Constitution.

He said the price of basic commodities was going up as Kenyans remained steeped in debts.

VIOLENCE

Prof Kibwana warned that the window for dialogue was ‘closing and that the people were ready for the oath even if it meant walking to Nairobi.

He also asked Mr Odinga to hand over the leadership of Nasa to Mr Musyoka in 2022 as agreed.

Prof Kibwana read the resolutions of the leaders from the three Ukambani counties of Machakos, Makueni and Kitui counties.

“There will be no business as usual until a democratically-elected president assumes office,” the resolutions read in part.

The leaders said any further attempts to subvert the will of the people through violence will leave the people with no recourse but to pursue self-determination.

Senator James Orengo asked the people if they wanted the Nasa principals to dialogue with President Uhuru Kenyatta to which the people responded “No!”

CROSS ROADS

“When you say Raila will be sworn in as President you are exercising your sovereign will as a citizen of the Republic of Kenya,” said Mr Orengo.

He said the time is now for Mr Odinga to lead and asked the people not to be afraid.

Bungoma County Senator Moses Wetangula said the country was at a crossroads and there would be sacrifices to make a better Kenya.

 “We believe the people of Kenya deserve a better future and they will get it. That future begins now," said Mr Wetangula.

He said the Jubilee government had lied to Kenyans about free secondary education and did not deserve to govern.