Kenya’s opposition leader, Raila Odinga, has turned down President-elect William Ruto’s request to attend the latter’s inauguration ceremony at Kasarani stadium on Tuesday.
“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,” said Odinga.
“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,” he added.
The former Prime Minister said Kenya’s electoral body “did not conduct a free and fair election.”
Ruto defeated Odinga in the hotly contested August 9 presidential election.
Odinga took the matter to the Supreme Court.
The court dismissed Odinga’s alleged evidence of vote rigging as “hot air” before upholding Ruto’s victory.
Ruto has not met Odinga since the presidential election exercise.
Odinga’s presence at Kasarani stadium would have affirmed Kenya’s strong democracy.
The 77-year-old opposition figure said the ruling of the Supreme Court “was not based on the facts and the law, even though we accepted it,” adding, “For these reasons, the outcome of the election remains indeterminate.”
Ruto has since refused the idea of a ‘handshake’ with Raila, saying he expects the opposition to do its work of holding his government in check.
Indeed, Odinga said once he returns to Kenya, he will “jointly with Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition party leaders, announce our next steps as we seek to deepen and strengthen our democracy.”
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