Former Prime Minister and Azimio leader Raila Odinga has said he will miss President-elect William Ruto’s inauguration set for Tuesday at the Kasarani Stadium, Nairobi.
In a statement, Raila said he received Ruto’s invitation which he will not honor as he won’t be in the country. He also maintained that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) did not conduct a free and fair election and that the Supreme Court ruling that upheld Ruto’s election ‘was not based on the facts and the law.’
“This evening, I received a letter and a telephone call from H.E Dr. William Ruto inviting me to his inauguration set for tomorrow, September 13, 2022. I regret however that I will not be available for the inauguration because I am out of the country and I also have other serious concerns,” Raila said.
“First, I believe that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, the body in charge of our elections, did not conduct a free and fair election.”
“Secondly, I believe that the ruling of the Supreme Court was not based on the facts and the law, even though we accepted it. For these reasons, the outcome of the election remains indeterminate. Once I return to the country, I will, jointly with Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Coalition Party leaders, announce our next steps as we seek to deepen and strengthen our democracy,” he added.
“We can only do so if we reform and transform the key institutions that are charged with protecting and advancing our democracy. In the meantime, I applaud and thank our supporters and Kenyans who came out in large numbers to vote for us on August 9th, 2022,’ he concluded.
