Kenyan opposition promises pursuit of major political reforms in 2018

01 Janvier 2018

Nairobi, Kenya, January 1^st (Infosplusgabon) - The main opposition alliance in Kenya has promised to pursue major political reforms in the New Year, starting with the release of its programme of civil disobedience and economic boycotts, opposition leader Raila Odinga, said in his New Year message.

Odinga said 2017 was difficult in nearly all fronts but Kenyans put up with a dysfunctional economy and an all-time high cost of living that was coupled with the disappearance of basic commodities from stores.

The situation was worsened by a bitterly contested and eventually rigged presidential election that left a trail of death in the hands of security forces and a regime with massive legitimacy deficit.

President Uhuru Kenyatta, who was sworn in on 28 November after a bitterly contested election in August, which was later nullified and a new election held on 26 October, promised in his New Year message to name a cabinet in the next few weeks.

President Kenyatta said he expected his cabinet to serve Kenyans with dedication and to deliver on his economic plan.

The main opposition, National Super Alliance (NASA) leader, on its part, saluted Kenyans for their resilience and perseverance.

"I join you in looking forward to a better year and a better nation. In 2018, our work is clearly cut out for us. After three stolen elections in a row and the standoff that has ensued, ending the culture of sham elections with pre-determined outcomes must be the nation’s priority.  We must nip the new trend where people continue to vote, opposition is allowed to exist and win a few seats in parliament, but the vote does not really count. Kenya will not stand stolen elections for long," Odinga said.

According to the opposition leader, the fraud of 2017 has equally not only come with killing of opposition supporters but has also seen mounting calls for secession and even talk of war.

"This is a new and worrying development," Odinga said.

He said the very existence of Kenya is at stake.

Odinga said millions of Kenyan citizens do not recognise the regime ruling them; they do not believe that Kenya cares about their views and feelings, hence the secession talk.

"Yet the regime thinks it can beat and kill citizens into surrender. We are better than being a nation making history for all the wrong reasons. We made history with the nullification of August elections. The annulment of the 8 August presidential election by the Supreme Court was only the fourth such event in world history."

The Supreme Court upheld the result of the election despite the fact that the very same court failed to hear a case challenging the very election it was upholding, Odinga said.

He said all this was because there is a clique that fears fair play and wants to hold on to power by every means and at all costs.

"We have to fix it," Odinga said.

According to Odinga, the opposition push for political reform will go hand in hand with strengthening of the Judiciary and reforming the security sector.

"The idea that an incumbent can steal elections then unleash police to beat citizens into accepting the electoral theft must end.  So far, the mindset is to steal the election, suppress and subdue protesters into submission by killing them then they will accept, forget and move on."

In 2018, Odinga said, he planned to launch a major effort to secure the best electoral system.

We cannot secure electoral justice and democracy if we don’t strengthen and protect the judiciary.

"Democracy thrives on the rule of law. It requires that we must have an independent judiciary and judges with the integrity and character to make decisions independent of the political happenings and thinking of the time.

"Our future is bleak if we stand by as judges are intimidated and blackmailed by an imperial presidency trying to rise again," Odinga.

He added that it did not come as a surprise to Kenyans that acting under extreme pressure from the Presidency, the Supreme Court eventually rendered a unanimous ruling upholding the re-election of Uhuru Kenyatta.

The opposition wants to have talks with the ruling Jubilee on how to fix the electoral system, reform the executive, protect the Judiciary, reform the security sector and strengthen devolution.

Within the first week of the New Year, the opposition will unveil a programme for civil disobedience, peaceful protests and non-cooperation with the Kenyatta government.

FIN/INFOSPLUSGABON/HGD/GABON 2018

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