Governor wants judiciary to prepare for swearing in Uhuru Kenyatta

Tharaka Nithi leaders, from left,Women Rep Beatrice Nkatha,Tharaka MP George Gitonga, Governor Muthomi Njuki and Maara MP Kareke Mbiuki address a press conference in Chuka on 28, October 2017

Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki wants the Judiciary to start preparing for a swearing in ceremony for President Uhuru Kenyatta’s second term on November 28.

Addressing a public meeting at Chuka town on Saturday, the Governor said the National Super Alliance (NASA) leader Raila Odinga demands for an interim government for six months were no longer practicable in the country.

He said Raila’s boycott of repeat election on October 26 after he successfully petitioned Uhuru Kenyatta's August 8 win was a clear indication he was not interested in being the country's President.

"There is someone who went all the way to America and started calling for a 'nusu mkate' for six months so he can have a taste of the presidency,” he said.

He added that all Jubilee leaders and supporters were eagerly waiting for the swearing in of President Uhuru Kenyatta without engaging the opposition in any way.

The Governor added that the country has been in a political standstill for almost a year and this should come to an end by swearing in the President.

"We should ignore the opposition's leaders since their aim is to paralyse the country and later blame the Jubilee government," he said.

The governor’s remarks comes at a time when the Supreme Court is preparing to start hearing petitions challenging re-election of President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The petitions by former Kilome MP Harun Mwau and two human rights leaders Njonjo Mue — the chairman of International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) Kenya Chapter — and Khelef Khalifa, the chairman the Muslims for Human Rights (Muhuri), fault how the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) conducted the October 26 polls.

IEBC is listed as the first respondent, the commission’s chairman Wafula Chebukati as the second and President Uhuru Kenyatta as the third.

Although the trio have listed separate other grounds, their common grievance is IEBC’s failure to withdraw the name of NASA presidential candidate Raila Odinga from the ballot paper. Mue and Khalifa aver that IEBC should have called off the exercise after Raila withdrew his candidature.