NASA gives Uhuru one-week ultimatum

National Super Alliance leaders on Sunday held their second People’s Assembly forum in Mombasa where they issued President Uhuru Kenyatta with a seven-day ultimatum to call for dialogue with the opposition.

Addressing their supporters in the coastal town, opposition co-principal Kalonzo Musyoka said NASA will go ahead with the controversial ‘swearing-in’ if President Uhuru Kenyatta does not reach out to the coalition this week.

“I am telling President Uhuru Kenyatta… If you don’t call Raila Odinga in the next one week, there will be a major crisis in the country,” warned Mr. Musyoka amid cheers from the gathering.

The opposition has planned to swear in Odinga and Musyoka as the People’s President and Deputy on January 30, at Uhuru Park in Nairobi.

The call for political dialogue in the country has been a sticky issue with the government and the opposition sharply differing on the terms for the talks. While the opposition wants the talks to focus on electoral justice and change in  governance, President Kenyatta maintains that he can only talk about development of the country – this leaving chances for dialogue in limbo.

In Mombasa, Odinga reassured his supporters that this time round there would be no turning back in the course to the proverbial “Canaan”.

“They are telling us that we will be committing treason and we risk death penalty… Go tell that to the birds. Raila is ready to be sworn in… Whether they like it or not we will take the oath,” vowed Odinga.

“We will spend the eve of January 30 at Uhuru Park and when the morning comes we will be sworn in,” said Odinga.

NASA leaders present at the rally including Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir and his Malindi counterpart Aisha Jumwa vowed to drive their supporters in droves to Nairobi for the swearing-in at Uhuru Park, even as it emerges that the venue has been booked by two other groups on January 30.

A church and the controversial Nairobi business community are said to have written to City Hall asking to use the venue on the day NASA plans to hold the ‘inauguration ceremony’.

From Mombasa, NASA heads to Narok, Migori and Kisii counties from Wednesday to wrap up the People’s Assembly forums, with a series of rallies expected to culminate with the swearing in.