Nasa digs in as clock ticks to Raila’s ‘swearing in’

The National Super Alliance (Nasa) has maintained it will continue with its plans to swear in their leader Raila Odinga Tuesday at Uhuru Park, Nairobi.

Nasa CEO Norman Magaya said all their supporters are expected to be seated at the historic ground by 8:30am in an event that is expected to end at exactly 1pm.

He dismissed the warning from Nairobi county police boss Japheth Koome that the opposition should keep off the venue.

Mr Koome said any meeting scheduled to take place on Tuesday will be illegal as no one has given the police any notice of any political event at the ground.

“Mr Koome is really struggling to look for reasons to stop us from using the venue, police are supposed to be apolitical and serve all Kenyans equally but Mr Koome has turned out to be pandering on the whims of jubilee,” Mr Magaya said.

“We have no option whatsoever to change the venue, the event will be largely peaceful and we urge our supporters to turn up with white handkerchiefs as a sign of peace,” Mr Magaya said.

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On the legality of the oath taking, Mr Magaya said everything will be done according to the constitution.

“We have a qualified judge that will undertake the process,” he said.

The Nasa CEO urged the police to deploy at least 500,000 police officers for Tuesday’s event saying their supporters will turn up in large numbers and will demand protection.

In June 2016, a report by the National Police Service put the number of police officers in Kenya at 90,442; 44,705 in the Kenya Police, 40,330 as Administrative Police and 5,405 in the Directorate of Criminal Investigation.

He said some of their supporters from other counties have already arrived in the city while others are expected in the course of the day.

“Our supporters from the counties are well organised, they have their team leaders who will coordinate all their activities while in Nairobi,” he said.

Deputy President William Ruto has urged the public to stay away from the Nasa event saying Kenyans have already decided on their leaders and focus should now be on development.

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