NASA presidential candidate Raila Odinga with his running mate Kalonzo Musyoka during their rally in Kibera, Nairobi, on July 18, 2017. Court of Appeal ruling on presidential ballot unlikely to ease political tensions that have been rising ahead of August 8 polls.[Photo: the-star.co.ke]
Thursday's Court of Appeal ruling on the presidential ballots is unlikely to mark the end of the climate of suspicion, mistrust and mutual hostility in the run-up to the August 8 polls.
Veteran journalist and columnist Macharia Gaitho, says that as long as Nasa coalition persists in the tone of election rigging plans and Jubilee accusing the former of trying to force postponement of elections, the political temperature will continue to rise."The more Nasa persists in that tone, the more Jubilee will accuse it of trying to force postponement of elections, which would create a constitutional crisis, or to incite chaos so that it can negotiate its ways into a government of national unity. That has, in turn, fuelled fears of a 2007-style disputed election followed by widespread violence that could tear the country apart," Gaitho writes on this Friday's Daily Nation.Nasa flagbearer Raila Odinga made fresh allegations against the Jubilee Party on Thursday after he released names of 42 police officers he alleged have been recruited to ensure the current administration retains power regardless of who wins next month's General Election.The officers, he said, were drawn from the General Service Unit, Kenya Airport Police Unit, Dog Unit and traffic unit and have a mandate known in police lingo as 'special duties'.Raila claims the officers have been stationed as agents to cause chaos during elections.