Nairobi, Kenya | THE INDEPENDENT | After a tense night, reports indicate that Kenya police on Tuesday morning allowed buses ferrying National Super Alliance (NASA) to head towards Nairobi on a day when opposition leader Raila Odinga is planning to have himself sworn in as an alternative president.
Hundreds of supporters were photographed arriving at the venue on Tuesday.
The ceremony — if it goes ahead — will put the opposition on a collision course with police and the government, with attorney general Githu Muigai warning in December that any “swearing-in” would be treasonous raising the possibility of Odinga’s arrest, a move that would heighten tensions.
Uhuru Park, Nairobi. NASA Supporters arriving in bits. @citizentvkenya pic.twitter.com/PuMPFOKcCq
— Stephen Letoo (@StevoLetoo) January 30, 2018
Uhuru Park, Nairobi @citizentvkenya pic.twitter.com/U1stpNaimo
— Stephen Letoo (@StevoLetoo) January 30, 2018
Police had earlier said the gathering, to be held at Nairobi’s central Uhuru Park, is illegal with city police chief Japheth Koome saying Sunday “the grounds will be a no-go zone”.
Odinga challenged the result of the original August vote winning an unprecedented annulment, but then boycotted the court-ordered re-run in October handing victory to Kenyatta who won 98 percent of the vote but with a turnout of just 39 percent.
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