Thousands Gather in Nairobi for Opposition Leader's 'Swearing In' Ceremony
More than two
thousand supporters of Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga gathered on
Tuesday in a Nairobi park where he was due to take the presidential
oath in an act of protest against President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Kenyatta was sworn in for a second term in November after
winning a re-run of presidential election which Odinga boycotted,
citing doubts it would be free and fair. An election in August, which
Kenyatta also won, was later nullified by the Supreme Court over
irregularities.
The attorney-general has previously warned that Odinga
could face treason charges if the event goes ahead. The punishment for
treason is death.
As the crowd gathered, government authorities began to
force independent television and radio stations reporting on the
gathering off air, several outlets said.
By 0800 GMT, more than 2,000 people were gathered in
Uhuru Park, near Nairobi's main business district. Many were chanting
Odinga slogans and waving tree branches.
"Odinga is the one we recognise as the president and that
is why we are swearing him in," said hairdresser Benta Akinyi, 32,
standing near other opposition supporters blowing horns and whistles.
Though the police had said they would prohibit any
illegal assemblies on Tuesday, there were no uniformed police in the
park and no anti-riot officers or vehicles visible.
Nearly 100 people killed in violence over the prolonged election period, mostly in clashes between Odinga supporters and police.
Local radio station Capital FM reported that supporters
had been granted permission by Kenyan authorities to use the park.
Police and government spokesman were not immediately reachable for
comment on that report.
"We intend to hold a peaceful event," Odinga's alliance said in a statement late on Monday.
"We nonetheless wish to put the (ruling party) Jubilee
administration on notice that we will accomplish our mission come hell
or high water. We advise our supporters to come prepared to stay until
our mission is accomplished."
By 0720 GMT, a number of media outlets, including
independently-owned Citizen radio and television, and
independently-owned NTV and KTN, which had a livestream from the park,
had been forced off the air by government authorities, they said.
A spokeswoman for the Communications Authority said they were in a meeting and would comment later.
"The Communications Authority of Kenya has switched off
Citizen Television and Radio in most parts of the country over the
coverage of the NASA ‘swearing-in’ plan," Citizen said on its website.
On Monday, Linus Kaikai, chairman of the Kenya Editors
Guild, said senior editors had been summoned by the authorities and
warned not to cover the event or risk being shut down.
Source: Reuters
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