Opposition leader Raila Odinga urges peaceful coexistence between NASA, Jubilee supporters

NASA leader Raila Odinga with Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho in Bondo Siaya County for the requiem mass of the three youths who were shot last week during the demonstrations. (Collins Oduor, Standard)

National Super Alliance (NASA) presidential candidate Raila Odinga has urged his supporters to coexist with President Uhuru Kenyatta’s supporters based in Bondo and other parts of the country.

Addressing residents in Bondo on Friday, Raila asked his followers to be calm and peaceful towards other communities.

"I want to tell my people not to revenge against any Kikuyu man here in Bondo or anywhere else that Kikuyu or Kalenjin is also suffering as you are suffering. Everywhere I go they call me Baba. The other day I was in Kiambu and they called me baba as Uhuru watched. The Kikuyu community are our people. Let us not take the sins of one person and put it in others heads," he pointed out.

The former Prime Minister also said that he will issue a statement on Wednesday (October 25) regarding the repeat presidential poll scheduled to take place on October 26.

He, however, stressed that there will be no fresh poll and asked Kenyans to boycott to exercise.

The Opposition chief was accompanied by other NASA leaders where they commemorated Mashujaa day in respect to three victims who were killed during anti-IEBC protests.

NASA had earlier faulted UK and US for their silence following Roselyn Akombe’s resignation on Wednesday (October 18).

Led by Raila, the coalition also raised concerns that the two nations had not spoken after Independent Electoral and Boundaries (IEBC) Chairman, Wafula Chebukati, indicated that the Commission cannot guarantee a credible repeat presidential poll on October 26.

“So it has come down to this: The US and the UK have not spoken since the astonishing confession by IEBC chairman Chebukati that he cannot guarantee that the election slated for 26 October will be free and fair, that his own staff do not listen to him, and that he cannot see how we can hold an election in which six million Kenyans who voted for Raila Odinga will feel disenfranchised.

“Roselyn Akombe's comments were even more startling, including her view that most Commissioners are keen to have an election even if it is at the cost of the lives of our staff and voters,” read part of the statement by Raila Odinga’s Adviser, Salim Lone.

Raila pointed out that the two countries are doing grave damage to their standing in Kenya and Africa, "abetting the naked power grab by President Uhuru Kenyatta."

He also hit out at the African Union (AU), saying that it has not done anything to find a way out of the current political stalemate.