Former Mombasa gubernatorial aspirant Suleiman Shahbal. [Photo/ tupo.co.ke]
The opposition NASA has no option but to accept the verdict made by Kenyans in the October 26 repeat elections, former Mombasa gubernatorial candidate Suleiman Shahbal has said.Speaking on Sunday in Mombasa, Shahbal said the time to politic is over and what awaits Kenyans is to unite and build the country.Shahbal who lost the gubernatorial contest to incumbent Hassan Joho said Kenya’s economy bleeds from a prolonged electioneering period and the focus now since elections are over, is to channel energies in jacking development.“We desperately need to come together as Kenyans and unite as one people. It is time for the Opposition to come to terms and accept the verdict of the people and the courts,” Shahbal, a prominent businessman said.“2022 is still around the corner and we will all go to the people again. For the time being, for heaven’s sake let us unite as one people and celebrate our democracy.”Shahbal is among Jubilee officials who burnt the midnight oil campaigning for President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto in Coast region in the run-up to the August 8 and October 26 repeat elections.He said President Kenyatta’s swearing-in on Tuesday will mark a new chapter for Kenyans as the Jubilee administration embarks on implementing its development agenda.“I recall back on April 9, 2013 when I attended the first swearing-in. As I watched Uhuru being sworn-in, I felt a swell of pride as a Kenyan as we celebrated our democracy- despite the fact that I had campaigned with Cord against the President being sworn in. Yet I felt proud to be attending that function - this was my President being sworn in,” said Shahbal.“Today I am proud that I campaigned for this President. This feels like a personal victory- a well-deserved victory that we won campaigning door to door.”The Supreme Court upheld President Kenyatta’s victory after the October 26 repeat election which opposition leader Raila Odinga boycotted.Former Kilome MP Harun Mwau and activists Njonjo Mue and Khalif Khelef challenged the commander in Chief’s victory at Kenya’s highest court.