Kenyan authorities on Tuesday shut down TV stations to prevent live coverage of a swearing-in event by opposition leader Raila Odinga, who boycotted last year’s disputed presidential election.
According to Kenyan broadcaster KTN, Raila Odinga declared himself the “people’s president” in front of thousands of his supporters in the capital, Nairobi.
Holding a bible in his right hand at a park in Nairobi, Mr Odinga is said to have declared that he was answering to a “high[er] calling to assume the office of the people’s president of the Republic of Kenya”.
Anglican Church of Kenya Arch-Bishop, Jackson Ole Sapit on Sunday asked the Jubilee government to allow the National Super Alliance to conduct its planned ‘swearing in’ ceremony for the sake of peace in the country.
This was during a diocesan thanks giving ceremony at St. Michael’s ACK in Bondo, Ole Sapit.
The Anglican Church leader is quoted by Citizen TV to have urged that the ‘swearing in’ may not automatically give NASA an opportunity to forcefully take over government, hence, “there should be no need for panic.”
“If NASA must swear in their principals let them be protected to swear them in a peaceful environment and after the swearing in they will go home. If we do that without panicking in any way, we shall have peace because it doesn’t mean someone will have an opportunity to take over the government by force,” said Ole Sapit, according to Citizen TV .
The prelate prayed that people should not be led into violence following the oathing ceremony.
By Staff Writer.
