Religious leaders call for prayers ahead of planned Raila swearing-in

NASA leader Raila Odinga. [Photo: Courtesy]

Former Westlands MP Fred Gumo has asked the National Super Alliance (NASA) to shelve plans to swear in Raila Odinga.

Mr Gumo said this would only cause embarrassment for the former prime pinister and former vice president Kalonzo Musyoka as they would not have any instruments of power after the swearing-in.

The Opposition coalition has announced it will swear in Raila and Kalonzo as the ‘people’s president’ and ‘people’s vice president’ respectively on January 30.

“What next after swearing in? Will Raila go to State House?” Gumo said in an interview in Nairobi.

“NASA leaders and their supporters should learn from Uganda’s opposition leader Kizza Besigye who, in 2016, swore himself in after a disputed election. Where did Besigye go after swearing himself in? He is not the president and we all know that. NASA should stop their plan.”

Gumo laughed off incidents where some NASA supporters had handed Raila Bibles and asked him to take an oath of office.

“The people doing that don’t understand what the exercise means,” he said. “NASA advisers are destroying the two Opposition leaders. They know the exercise is a mere waste of time yet they insist on it. Let them stop misleading Kenyans and face reality.”

Gumo’s sentiments echoed those expressed by Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja who on Sunday said the ceremony planned for an undisclosed location should be put off.

Mr Sakaja accused the Opposition of planning an event that had no effect “since power is already in the hands of Jubilee Party”.

“They can even be sworn in today if they want but what will they achieve? Nothing. They have no State power or resources,” said Sakaja. 

Gumo urged Kenyans not to turn up for the ceremony he said was likely to cause chaos. This came as a cleric asked Kenyans to pray for peace ahead of the swearing in.

Daniel Kwesi of Grace Ministries Alliance also urged NASA and Jubilee to have dialogue to avoid chaos. “The country cannot have parallel governments. This is a major test of democracy. Kenyans should seek God’s guidance so our country remains united,” he said, adding that the country was moving in the wrong direction. He urged Kenyans to avoid violence.