NASA leader Raila Odinga at a past event. Former Nyali MP Hezron Awiti has cautioned him over his push for swearing-in. [Photo/kahawatungu.com]
Former Nyali MP Hezron Awiti has dismissed NASA’s push to swear in Raila Odinga as the people’s president.
Awiti argues that Raila is lying to himself with the swearing-in that the government has declared illegal.
According to Awiti, who unsuccessfully contested for the Mombasa governor seat in the August 8 polls, Raila will not go far with the swearing-in plan.
Speaking to journalists in Mombasa Town on Tuesday, the former Nyali legislator advised Raila to look for an alternative strategy and drop the swearing-in idea.
“It is going to be difficult for Raila in the coming days if he sticks on the swearing-in idea, his push for reforms needs a different strategy but not oath taking,” he said.
Awiti asked Raila’s allies to advise him appropriately and help him adopt constitutional mechanisms to push for reform agenda.
The former lawmaker said that Raila risks losing the ‘good name’ he has created over the years if he accepts to take oath as the people’s president.
Awiti while admitting to electoral challenges facing the country, the former lawmaker called on stakeholders to dialogue and push for institutional reforms.
He said that it will be bad for the country to be going through the same crisis every electioneering period.
NASA has maintained that it is ready to swear in Raila Odinga as the people's president. The opposition plans for the event scheduled early next year are said to be complete.
The government has however cautioned NASA against going on with the planned swearing-in which it has termed as highly treasonous and punishable by death.