As the country flashes back last year a day like this, it was the time Kenya was in a lawless mess after another elections allegedly merred with irregularities divided the country into two leading to Raila Odinga being sworn in as the people’s president while Uhuru Kenyatta was the elected president.
Standing next to Raila was lawyer Miguna Miguna and Ruaraka MP TJ Kajwang.In his book Treason: The Case Against Tyrants and Renegades released in Toronto, Canada on Saturday, Miguna says Raila was, in fact, against the swearing-in.
Sources indicate that if government security agencies blocked Uhuru Park, the oath would have been administered in other regions like Kilifi, or at the Kenyan Embassy in Ghana or Tanzania.But Miguna, Siaya Senator James Orengo and businessman Jimi Wanjigi urged him to keep on.
The NASA leader might have had valid reasons to have second thoughts, going by President Uhuru Kenyatta’s government’s threats to charge him with treason if he dared take the oath. He did.
To Kenyans, who felt aggrieved with the outcome of the repeat Presidential polls in October 26, the oath-taking was assurance that Raila was still a force to be reckoned with.
They showed up in droves, taking photos in a bid to keep the historic moment in memory.TJ was touted to have violated Section 59 of the Penal Code on illegal oaths, punishable by death.
He was arrested and later released.Police said he illegally attended an unlawful assembly and administered an illegal oath.
In the end, Raila was sworn in in the absence of Kalonzo, Wetang’ula or Mudavadi.