Economy

Raila Odinga dismisses repeat poll, Uhuru win

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Nasa leader Raila Odinga. file photo | nmg

The National Super Alliance (Nasa) has, for the first time since President Kenyatta was re-elected, spoken on October 26 repeat presidential election.

The Raila Odinga-led coalition on Tuesday dismissed the poll as a “fraud” and vowed not to recognise Mr Kenyatta and his government.

Instead, Nasa said it would push for the formation of the People Assembly to run Kenya until a legitimate executive is elected and formed.

“Today we establish People's Assembly to restore democracy in the country,” Mr Odinga said at Okoa Kenya headquarters in Nairobi.

“The People’s Assembly will have the youth, religious leaders, economic interest groups and the civil society.”

Nasa, he said, would present petitions for the establishment of the new outfit to govern Kenya to county assemblies for discussion and adoption.

“The assembly's timetable to be released soon,” he said.

The People’s Assembly, he said, seeks to restore democracy, constitutionalism and the rule of law in the country even as Nasa pushes for another election within 90 days.

The People’s Assembly will be a broad-based forum consisting of elected leaders and the leadership of other sectors of the society— workers, civil society, religious leaders, women, youth and economic interest groups.

The six key issues that the assembly will seek to address include the systemic failure of electoral bodies, and the electoral system and the protection and safeguarding devolution.

Others include exclusion and discrimination in the allocation or distribution of public resources, inability of the State to deal with the root causes of political strife— including poverty, unemployment, extreme inequality, economic marginalisation and historical grievances.

In the meantime, Mr Odinga said, Nasa’s resistance wing (NRM) would embark on vigorous pro-democracy campaign through economic boycotts and picketing.

Mr Odinga cast aspersions on the preparation and conduct of the repeat presidential election, saying it fell short of the standards set by poll laws, the Constitution and the Supreme Court.

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