Today in History: Raila Odinga Sworn In as ‘People’s President’

In the aftermath of Kenya’s hotly contested 2017 General Election, the country was deeply divided into two political camps, one led by then-President Uhuru Kenyatta of the Jubilee Party and the other by opposition leader Raila Odinga of the National Super Alliance (NASA).

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), chaired by the late Wafula Chebukati, declared Uhuru Kenyatta the winner with 8,203,290 votes against Odinga’s 6,762,224. The announcement triggered unrest in several parts of the country, particularly in opposition strongholds.

Security forces were deployed to quell the protests, leading to deaths and injuries. NASA leaders, Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka, Musalia Mudavadi, and Moses Wetang’ula, later urged supporters to remain calm.

Events that Led Raila to Swear Himself in as People’s President

Although Odinga and his co-principals initially ruled out legal action, they later filed a petition at the Supreme Court. In a historic ruling delivered by Chief Justice David Maraga, the court nullified Kenyatta’s victory, citing illegalities and irregularities in the electoral process. The court ordered the IEBC to conduct a fresh presidential election within 60 days.

Odinga praised the ruling as a landmark victory for democracy in Kenya and across Africa. President Kenyatta, while disagreeing with the decision, said he would respect the rule of law and urged Kenyans to maintain peace, irrespective of their political affiliations.

Also Read: Today in History: How General Opande Missed the Chance to Become Kenya’s Chief of Defence Forces

However, weeks to the repeat election, Odinga announced he would boycott the poll, arguing that the same IEBC officials and systems responsible for the annulled election were still in place. He specifically called for the removal of senior IEBC officials, including then CEO Ezra Chiloba.

The repeat election went ahead without Odinga’s participation, and Kenyatta was declared the winner. The boycott deepened political divisions in the country.

In response, Odinga launched the National Resistance Movement (NRM), a resistance wing of the NASA coalition, to protest what he termed an illegitimate presidency and to push for electoral reforms. He declared that NASA would not recognise Kenyatta’s presidency and called for boycotts of companies perceived to support the Jubilee government.

Swearing-in Ceremony

As protests continued, Odinga threatened to hold a parallel inauguration, describing it as a symbolic act to affirm what he called the people’s will.

Despite government warnings that such an act would be illegal and amount to treason, the event went ahead.

On January 30, 2018, Raila Odinga was symbolically sworn in as the “People’s President” during a brief ceremony at Nairobi’s Uhuru Park, attended by thousands of supporters.

Holding a green King James Bible, Odinga took a 90-word oath administered by Ruaraka MP TJ Kajwang and lawyer Miguna Miguna. Key NASA figures, including Kalonzo Musyoka and Musalia Mudavadi, were notably absent.

Also Read: TODAY IN HISTORY: How Former KCB CEO Was Sacked Without Notice by Moi While Working as PS

The government condemned the event as unconstitutional, though police did not directly disrupt the ceremony.

Days later, Miguna Miguna was arrested in a dawn raid, detained without communication, and deported to Canada. He was later denied re-entry into Kenya and deported again.

Political tensions eased on March 9, 2018, when President Kenyatta and Odinga famously shook hands outside Harambee House, marking the end of their political rivalry.

Follow our WhatsApp channel for Instant News Updates

Photo of President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga shaking hands. PHOTO/NMG