Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga, who boycotted the country’s disputed election last year, swore himself in as the “people’s president” at a mock inauguration ceremony Tuesday in protest against President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Thousands of opposition supporters gathered at Uhuru Park in central Nairobi, chanting slogans and waving tree branches at the symbolic “swearing-in” event, which was organized by Odinga’s National Super Alliance (NASA).
The event was largely peaceful, and the throngs of supporters quickly left the park after proceedings had concluded. In what appear to be an isolated incident, police fired tear gas to try to to disperse crowds pulling down signs near the park.
Authorities had earlier said they would put a stop to any illegal meetings, but Reuters reported that no uniformed police could be seen in the park and no anti-riot officers or vehicles were visible.
Afterward, the biography on Odinga’s verified Twitter account had been updated to read: “This is the official account of His Excellency Raila Amolo Odinga, President of the Republic of Kenya.”
Kenyatta won a second presidential term with 98% of the vote following a controversial election rerun in November. The country’s Supreme Court nullified the previous ballot, also won by Kenyatta, due to “illegalities and irregularities.”
Odinga and his opposition party dropped out of the second vote, claiming the election commission had failed to implement any reforms.
NASA says it wants to create an alternative government to protest Kenyatta’s rule. Some are hoping Tuesday’s event will push Kenyatta, who promised to work toward national unity during his second term, to include opposition leaders in dialogue and in his ministerial appointments.
But the government has warned that Tuesday’s events amount to treason — an offense punishable by death, according to Kenyan law.
I am glad that Uhuru is more civilised than Edgar and that he did not send his police to charge him with treason like Edgar did to an innocent HH;
But HH was a mere traffic incident ,this here is pre arranged provocation of state powers.
Raila is a troubled loser. If HH is man enough and has the popular support he dreams about, let him dare Zambians by emulating his Godfather Raila. Zambian patriots will dump him in Zambezi river live for crocodiles feast.
Double presidents, double wahala!
What odinga has done is not different from what happened at the pf convention in kabwe between miles sampa and balya injikwite.
@KK Airport Cabinet – JUST WAIT AND SEE. Kenyatta deliberately waited for the crime of treason to be fully committed with all the evidence captured. NOW YOU WILL SEE HIS REACTION.
The mistake Lungu made was to rush into arresting HH without full evidence of treason committed. He should also have waited for HH to fully commit the TREASON and capture credible evidence – so I agree that Kenyatta is more clever in this area.
Shiithole opposition leaders like hh odinga will bring problems on the continent caging them would make a lot of sense.
Only f00ls will rush to blame Odinga on this move. This man had demanded transparent electoral reforms but Kenyetta refused to level the playing field fearing he would lose the elections.
This is the only protest Odinga has to sent a strong message to Kenyatta that the fact that Kenya was named after his father its not a family farm.
Of course HH is too civil in his fight. He is a peace loving man abiding by the Zambian law.
If HH would resort to match PF for violence Lungu would be gone like yesterday because he has lost credibility even amongst his followers. 2021 PF will be finished because it has spilled enough blood for Lungu in exchange for nothing but poverty.
Africa needs a massive revolution to change the mind set of our leaders so that they begin to take people serious.
Europe and America is what it is today because it went through self cleansing in revolutions and wars in which tyrants were beheaded eg the last king of France and many more
Without a massive revolution Africa will continue to suffer while it minority leaders will be richer than western world leaders.
African leadership in its current form is not fit for purpose. This excludes the Tanzanian ,Namibian and the Bostwana presidents. The rest are all useless thieves.
This is just fooolishness does he know how many people he is going to kill by this move…you opted not contest why do this!!
Kenya is having high quality cannabis than Zambia. This has been proved evident through Raila Odinga’s confidence.
@KK airport. The Attorney General has stated that Odinga has committed a treasonous act so what does that mean to you?
This crazy old guy just needs to retire to his farm. He’s only making Uhuru more popular and relevant. Shame on him.
Sh1thole African countries ,this is how Rwanda type genocides get started by power hungry demagogues like Odinga.Nonsense ceremony with no real judges and no foreign recognition just the same egotistical man who was also the central figure in Kenya’s 2008 bloody mayhem.
But @Enka mulabako slow, what Odinga did is hilarious, its not your Mmangagwa .
Kenya’s HH has problems.
Who was the first kaunda of Kenya?
@Divide & Rule:- Of course the first Kaunda of Kenya was Mzee Jomo Kenyatta.
Just like the surf I use is Boom and the Kwacha of South Africa is Rand.
Comment: the law will take its course
abuse of supporters…kalusas are a problem…what a waste of time
this is high treason and we will face death when convicted.
What is treason?
This is how *****ic Africans undermine state intitutions like courts ,electoral commissions etc. Odinga still wants to force state organs to declare him president unprocedurally & illegally.
Uhuru and Kenya have got an opportunity here to show Africa that Law breaking has got consequences. Let it stay on record that Law breakers of Odinga’s type will face the Law as it is written in the Constitution without any additions or subtractions.
I applaud President Uhuru’s Kenyan Govt for ignoring Odinga’s provocations and thus averting human sufferings and loss of lives generated by unpatriotic politicians. Under what Constitution did Odinga base his declaration as President of Kenya? The World at large, and Africa in particular, must never entertain reckless CLOWNS to dent the image of this continent. This is a clear earnest appeal to the African Union, the UN, USA, UK, Japan, France, German and other European States. Never again should we ever allow rogue politicians to breed instability in this World. The people of Kenya deserve peace to accomplish development for the good of all Kenyans and the prosperity of East Africa.
The ‘HH syndrome’ ku Kenya…
Odinga’s blatant law breaking should meet severe punishment from the int’l community.Rogue leaders like this bring bloodshed and bad image to Africa so the AU ,the European Union and others should impose hefty penalties on Odinga for trying to plunge yet another country into turmoil yet there a govt in place already.
Ati “the People’s President”, Hahahahah….aah. These sore losers and their political circus also, are hopeless jokers. His profanity has just hit the ceiling. He will soon realize that the pond is dry with zero fanfare to live on. Welcome to loads of torturous battles now at hand.
These are doomed options of the African Regime Change liberal Front led by Mmusi Maimane funded by the Brenthurst Foundation. Nothing but a money shredding project for the brainless crusaders.
And who’s the animals president?
HH please do not try this in Zambia. At least by now you Know the consequences. Respect the Law!
As the ANC re-brands itself to cleanse rotten eggs among its ranks, we request the South African Govt to CENSURE the clandestine imperialist institution known as the Brenthurst Foundation in South Africa for plotting anarchy in selected states of Africa.. SADC states can set aside some “DIPLOMACY” and may be borrow President Trump’s rhetoric, to declare General Obasanjo as an undesirable visitor this region. We have more to gain than lose if SADC leaders opted for this stand.
South Africa is not counted among sh&thole countries baba.
The current president Guinea did a similar thing sending the once fearful, wizardry former president packing , not in his country. For odinga to do this right in his own country is somehow something for bookmakers like me, i need to do his bibliography.
Which Guinean president are you talking about. The current president Alpha Conde was elected in 2010 via a second round election. Why should you posting falsehoods?
We may call him names but all African sitting president never listen once in power…they manipulate people by using the very same constitution to settle scores so international community buy their stories…..Kenyatta wont 98% because only his party voted so how can he be acknowledged by ordinary people….call it mockery but it shows that the President himself his scared and not interested in building Kenya….VIVA ordinary Kenyans
Did Kenyatta stop Odinga from contesting?
@abilima losers will always find excuses. Even the electoral commissions which they condemn will be deemed perfect if they won the election and I can bet my last ngwee they’ll not even think of reforming it. Look at George Weah, has he said anything about their ECZ equivalent? No, but check what he said seven years ago. Mulibamobene.
Yes he can inaugurate himself but will never have access to state coffers and institutions. He can even appoint a cabinet of his own and we will see who will be paying them
What do you expect from Moslem blood thirsty animals like Odinga?
Don’t link HH to Ondinga’s act; Uhuru would do well to ignore what he has done since he has foolishly done it out of frustration; hope Uhuru has better advisors than Kaizer to advise Uhuru to just dialogue with Ondinga than going the African loved word of treason;
Odinga’s actions have consequences as deterrent to would be future offenders. the restraints excersized by sitting presidents deserve applaud by peace loving Africans and world over or else blood was going to spill uncontrollably in Kenya. President Kenyatta, its your time now to throw uppercuts on this law breaker.
He is a fool. Who can in his normal senses anoint himself King over God`s people? Not inspiring at all.
These people had assured their sponsors that they were going to win their respective countries elections. That’s why our “Munshilumbulwa” has continued frequenting the courts with different versions of the petition.
“frequenting the courts with different versions of the petition”.
Its a product of poor advisers. By now, half of the people in PF would have joined the UPND if the petition was not initiated.
I like this part of the comment.
ANOTHER HH………..WHAT DO YOU WHEN YOU ARE A PERPETUAL LOSER…………JUST INAUGURATE YOURSELF…I SEE IT HAPPENING IN ZAMBIA TOO…
This man is a lunatic he just wants to start trouble but Kenyatta is smart
This moron Odinga lost elections twice in the same year and he still wants to be the President
Foolishness
Now i love Kenyatta even more
There are so many similarities between Odinga and HH, but the major one is tribalism. This is what tribalism bleeds and this is where HH is headed to if he does not tame his bitterness and emotions because he too is a tribalist leading a tribal party, sejani said ONLY A TONGA MUST LEAD UPND. This tribal grouping is a serious threat to the national peace and security. HH when he loses in 2021 (which is most likely) he is going to behave the same way as odinga. HH, Odinga, Maimane and others are being funded to bring about regime change in Zambia, Kenya and south Africa respectively in the best interest of the foreign agents. That is why we Zambian people must be very careful not to vote for this tribal grouping UPND provided it is led by A TONGA
If it is a serious threat to your peace, let go of it, just like Egypt’s Pharaoh did, why hold on to something you can’t handle, are you mad?
HH and ODINGA are same , the only difference is HH is tribal chieftain and ODINGA is an Islamic extremist.This is the experiment done done by Whites supremacists (Anglo- America) in Africa.
odinga he must be a silly fool like hh who only think of plot one than anything else ,watch what will happen to him
Where is the first lady in the group. It appears even his wife does not approve of the crime.
Rigging election results, manipulating election results is equivalent to what Odinga has done. Whether Chief justices are present it is just a mockery and another self imposed inauguration. For once and here in Zambia can we have an electoral process that is credible and acceptable by all stakeholders. You cannot say Mugabe’s victory was people’s wish even if he was sworn in by the chief justices with other heads of states. It is just another illegal inauguration legalised.
Mr Mwaanga once told us that it’s impossible to rig an election in Zambia. This was after he was accused of having manipulated the election in favour of Mwanawasa against Mazoka.
A disgrace to Africa these opposition leaders are! What a shame! From a great country that Kenya has always been to mock presidents! Another fu almost did this in Mongu! What a shame.
The father and mother of Under Fives are the same! What a shame! Can someone please put these little boys on Growth hormone, please! Odinga and HH.
Tribalism will wreck Africa if not checked.
And you know what? Raila Odinga’s vice president and other high level party leaders did not attend the ceremony, I will not use the word boycotted in case undees insult me ifikali. But sensible that veep is, he knows that he wants to stand as presidental candidate in future, which will not be possible if he is carged and convicted of treason. So let the old fool Odinga crucify himself, very sensible compared to hh’s followers who have buried their political careers together with hh.
And you know what? Raila Odinga’s vice president and other high level party leaders did not attend the ceremony, I will not use the word boycot.ted in case unde.es insu.lt me ifikali. But sensib.le that veep is, he knows that he wants to stand as presidental candidate in future, which will not be possible if he is charged and convicted of treason. So let the old fo.ol Oding.a crucify himself, very sensible compared to hh’s followers who have buried their political careers together with hh.
“HH inaugurates himself as President in Mongu!” Sounds familiar! What is wrong with these boys?
What Raila Odinga has done is a total mistake, but again there is greater need for African countries to make sure that the electoral process is free and fair so as to avoid such incidences. Its sad really and again a laughable matter how our continent has remained behind in political civilization. Uhuru and his cabinet ought to handle this matter with care otherwise from the look of things no one can dispute the fact that this man has a huge following, so if not well handled we may end up seeing a country being divided which isn’t good.