NASA leader Raila Odinga has called for fresh polls in August, making it the third one in a period of one year since the last general polls which sparked controversy within the opposition.
He said NASA’s timetable shows that there should be fresh polls held after six months since he is now the “People’s President”.
“Uhuru Kenyatta does not have legitimacy because in the October 26 elections only less than 20 per cent of registered voters turned up. We want a third election, according to our timetable by August 2018,” he told BBC in a three-minute interview Wednesday.
He repeated that he does not recognize President Uhuru Kenyatta because “he does not have the legitimacy of the people.”
However, Raila rescinded on his decision which he had announced in an earlier interview with the Voice of America of forming a parallel Cabinet even if it is in “exile”.
He told VOA: “We can even be a government in exile, one that works from outside. It has happened in other countries. What we are saying is that Kenyans can no longer allow an illegitimate government not elected by the people to rule them. We will work like a government, we will form a Cabinet and we will work as a government.”
In his about turn, he said that he will not appoint ministers. Instead, he will create a people’s convention to discuss paramount issues from regional assemblies.
“I did not say we will appoint ministers. What I meant to say is we have set it out very clearly that we started out with forming the people’s assemblies in various regions and we have had basically meetings and they have passed resolutions which will be taken to the people’s convention.”
“We are going to deliberate on a number of issues such as electoral justice, reform of the Judiciary, restructuring of the executive power among others,” he added.
Raila was unofficially sworn in on January 30 as the People’s President. The aftermath of the ceremony has yet again set a hard course for NASA as Jubilee regime cracks down on those believed to have taken centre stage in planning and executing of the fete.
He, however, said that they will not oust Uhuru out of State House as has been anticipated.
He talked of a plan that will in the end see the President exit the house on the hill.
“We will not go to remove Uhuru Kenyatta from State House, he can sit comfortably. We know how we are going to remove him.”