Kenya’s opposition supporters converge to swear in ‘president’ Odinga

Supporters of Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga gathered on Tuesday morning at a park in Nairobi to “swear in as president” their leader who boycotted a re-run election in 2017.

By 6am, about 400 people were gathered in Uhuru Park, near Nairobi’s main business district.

Though the police had said they would prohibit any illegal assemblies on Tuesday, there were no uniformed police in the park and no anti-riot officers or vehicles.

Local radio station Capital FM reported that supporters had been granted permission by Kenyan authorities to use the park.

Meanwhile, independently-owned Citizen Television and radio stations said on Tuesday that government authorities forced them off the air over plans to cover the gathering.

“The Communications Authority of Kenya has switched off Citizen Television and Radio in most parts of the country over the coverage of the National Super Alliance (NASA) ‘swearing-in’ plan,” the Citizen website said.

Earlier, several hundred supporters of Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga gathered at a park in downtown Nairobi, determined to “swear in as president” their leader who boycotted a re-run election in 2017.

President Uhuru Kenyatta was sworn in for a second term in November after winning the repeat presidential election in October that Odinga boycotted due to doubts it would be free and fair.

Kenyatta had also been declared winner of the August election, but the Supreme Court later nullified that result, over irregularities.

Opposition supporters claim Odinga won the August vote.

Odinga said the October election was “fake” and earlier said a “people’s assembly” would swear him in on December 12.

That did not happen, and a new event was planned for Tuesday.

“The swearing in that will happen today is legitimate based on the August 8, 2017 election. Odinga is the one we recognise as the president and that is why we are swearing him in,” said hairdresser, Benta Akinyi.