Military aided ‘theft’ of CORD victory at Bomas, Raila Odinga claims

CORD leader Raila Odinga and co-principal

Kalonzo Musyoka arrive at the Jomo Kenyatta

Sports Grounds, Kisumu for a political rally yesterday.

By RUSHDIE OUDIA, DENNIS ONYANGO and HEZRON OCHIEL
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga now claims that Jubilee leaders used the military in the 2013 General Election to forcefully ascend to power.
Addressing a CORD rally at the Kenyatta Sports Ground in Kisumu town yesterday, Raila alleged that President Uhuru and his deputy William Ruto used military personnel to eject CORD supporters from the Bomas of Kenya, which was the national tallying centre for the presidential election, to enable Jubilee clinch victory.
He claimed Uhuru and Ruto feared the cases on crimes against humanity facing them at the International Criminal Court (ICC) and used all means at their disposal to capture the leadership of the country. “Nobody should claim that our people did not turn up to vote because that is wrong,” Raila said.

Mutunga coerced
The CORD principal, who spoke in Dholuo almost throughout his address, further claimed Chief Justice Willy Mutunga was forced by the Jubilee leaders to deliver a verdict that he did not believe in during last year’s disputed presidential election.
The opposition principals launched a scathing attack on the Jubilee Government and claimed it had lost direction. “Those saying the next election will be conducted in 2017 are wrong because I believe it can be done anytime before then,” said former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka.
The former VP and Wiper party leader maintained the country’s electoral body must be restructured before the next elections because the public has lost faith in the institution. “We have agreed as CORD principals to remain united in order to clinch the presidency in the next elections,” said the ungoma Senator Moses Wetangula.
A section of CORD leaders told Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to stop meddling in Eastern African Community affairs.
Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar Hassan fired the first salvo by telling Museveni to withdraw troops from South Sudan. He said the Ugandan President had been interfering with affairs of the region for a long time.
“He should withdraw troops because he is a menace in this region,” said Omar.
Ugandan troops have been fighting alongside South Sudan government forces against rebels in the civil war going on in South Sudan. Museveni boasted of having defeated rebels in a “big battle” north of the capital Juba despite some of his soldiers being killed.
Speaking at a CORD rally in Kisumu, Siaya Senator James Orengo said Museveni had no moral authority to intervene in any conflict in Africa owing to his reputation. “Museveni is an aggressor who cannot give solutions to any East African problem,” said Mr Orengo.
He told the Ugandan President to first accept that Migingo Island belongs to Kenya before trying to appear as if he is intervening in a conflict affecting any nation.
“He cannot reconcile a nation yet he has refused to let go of Migingo,” said Orengo.
The war has seen several thousand people killed over the past month. Ugandan officials have previously said that their special forces were only in South Sudan to help evacuate their nationals.
Museveni and ICC
The calls for Museveni to withdraw troops come in the wake of the Ugandan president telling International Criminal Court (ICC) to keep off Africa affairs.
Kisumu Senator Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o echoed the sentiments saying Museveni was a bother to the region.
Meanwhile, Kisumu town was a theatre of jubilation, pomp and dance as CORD leaders held their first ever joint meeting at the Jomo Kenyatta Sports Ground.?In a show of solidarity, the principals arrived at the venue shortly after 3pm amid a rousing welcome by the residents.?As early as 10am, the locals had started arriving at the venue while others lined up the roads to welcome their leaders.
And shortly after 2pm, a huge crowd made their way to the venue carrying placards bearing portraits of the leaders while singing and chanting Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) slogans and praising their party leader Raila.
Speaker after speaker praised CORD luminaries for staying intact and urged them to remain united ahead of next year’s general elections.
Homa Bay Senator Otieno Kajwang’ charged the crowd with his popular song: Vijana msilale bado mapambano (youths don’t sleep, it is still a struggle), singing and dancing as he waved a whisk.
He was joined by the entire brigade and the locals who also danced to the tune.

When it was turn for Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma to speak, the crowd booed and heckled, forcing him to cut short his speech.