CORD Leaders in South Africa ahead of Uhuru's Big Day
Top leaders of the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) will
not attend president-elect Uhuru Kenyatta’s inauguration ceremony on
Tuesday.
This is after Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and Bungoma
Senator Moses Wetang’ula joined Prime Minister Raila Odinga to fly out
of the country on Saturday night.
The Cord principals who all left aboard the same
flight to South Africa with their families are expected back in the country on Wednesday, a day after Uhuru’s coronation.
Mwingi
central MP Joe Mutambo confirmed that the leaders had gone for four day
retreat and will be returning to the country mid-week.
“Our
leaders went down south and are expected back on Wednesday,” Mutambo
said terming the trip as a strategic and bonding retreat.
Sources
say Raila and Kalonzo had been prevailed by Cord MPs to skip the
swearing in ceremony after disputing the election of Uhuru and his
deputy William Ruto in spite of being invited.
Three principals
then bought the idea saying attending Uhuru’s inauguration will be
tantamount to endorsing a regime, whose ascend to power they disputed.
“If you are competing with another man for a woman, and
that man snatches her, will you attend their wedding?” an MP close to Raila said.
The
MP said that even if Raila and Kalonzo were to be in the country, they
could have not attended the high profile event at the Moi International
Sports Centre, Kasarani that will be graced by a host of presidents
mainly drawn from Africa.
Cord MPs also expressed fears on
Thursday that supporters of Uhuru and Ruto may be tempted to embarrass
Raila, Kalonzo just like it happened in 2002, when President Kibaki took
the reins of power from President Moi at Uhuru Park.
On Tuesday
9, security will be a priority at the inauguration of the country’s 4th
president at Kasarani Stadium, Nairobi, official said on Sunday.
Officials organising the event say other than Kasarani, major
hotels, the airport and other
installations will be under heavy security.
Up
to 2,000 police officers have been mobilised to specifically work on
the day Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto will be sworn in at the
60,000-seater stadium.
Head of Nairobi Area police command Mr Benson Kibue said on Sunday that there will be intensified patrols in the
city centre and
estates on the material day.
“We
are watching over various intelligence on some planned criminal
activities hence the heavy security that you will see. We will ensure
security is a priority at the event and Nairobi at large,” he said.
Police
choppers will be on standby and patrol in the city. At the stadium
alone, General Service Unit personnel will ring it. There will be other
officers who will be screening those getting into the stadium and for
those who will not manage; there will be a huge screen where they will
watch the event live, officials said.
Contingents of police will
be at the airport to welcome and escort invited guests. South Sudan’s
president Salva Kir is the only leader who had arrived by last evening
but more were expected at which all of Africa 52 heads of state have
been welcomes to attend.
All East African heads of state are expected at the ceremony, officials confirmed.
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The Standard