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CORD team jets in, claim rejuvenated
CORD principals From Left: Kalonzo, Raila and Wetangula at JKIA moments after arriving from South Africa [Photo: Standard]
By Allan Kisia
Nairobi, Kenya: The Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) leadership jetted back in the country from a trip to South Africa last night and declined to field questions from journalists.
Team leader Raila Odinga said they travelled to South Africa to take a rest after staging a gruesome campaign over the last three months ahead of the March 4 General Election.
Speaking at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport after arrival at about 6.45pm, Raila said they are now ‘relaxed' after the short holiday.
"We watched games, played games in South Africa. We are fully rejuvenated," he explained.
Former Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka and Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula accompanied Raila, who promised to be talking to Kenyans from time to time.
Ugenya Senator James Orengo and former Kasarani MP Elizabeth Ongoro received them.
Raila said the CORD leadership is ready to engage with ‘everybody.'
Top leaders of CORD did not attend the swearing-in of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on Tuesday.
Kalonzo and Wetangula joined Raila in the trip to South Africa on Saturday night.
Sources said Raila and Kalonzo had been prevailed by CORD MPs to skip the swearing in ceremony after disputing the election of Uhuru and his deputy William Ruto in spite of being invited.
The principals bought the idea, saying attending Uhuru's inauguration would be tantamount to endorsing a regime, whose ascent to power they disputed.
They said even if Raila and Kalonzo were to be in the country, they could not have attended the high profile event that was graced by a host of presidents drawn from Africa.
Embarrass principals
CORD MPs also expressed fears that supporters of Uhuru and Ruto could have been tempted to embarrass Raila and Kalonzo just like it happened in 2002, when President Kibaki took the reins of power from President Moi at Uhuru Park.
Meanwhile, former head of the Anglican Church Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi said CORD leaders should have attended the function at Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani yesterday.
"It would have been wise if Raila and Kalonzo as key leaders in opposition to attend the ceremony," Archbishop Nzimbi told The Standard in a telephone interview.
He added: "They should have listened to the speeches and agenda made by Uhuru and Deputy President William Ruto and hold them accountable if they went against what they promised".
The clergy noted that by skipping the event despite being invited the opposition leaders showed that they still nursed ill feelings with Uhuru after losing the Elections.
Kakamega Senator Dr Bonny Khalwale said Raila and Kalonzo were irrelevant during the occasion and their absence was not a big issue.
"There was nowhere in the protocol where the opposition leaders features thereby making them irrelevant," he added in a telephone interview.
-Additional report by Peter Atsiaya and Renson Buluma
Standard Digital News - Kenya : CORD team jets in, claim rejuvenated
CORD principals From Left: Kalonzo, Raila and Wetangula at JKIA moments after arriving from South Africa [Photo: Standard]
By Allan Kisia
Nairobi, Kenya: The Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) leadership jetted back in the country from a trip to South Africa last night and declined to field questions from journalists.
Team leader Raila Odinga said they travelled to South Africa to take a rest after staging a gruesome campaign over the last three months ahead of the March 4 General Election.
Speaking at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport after arrival at about 6.45pm, Raila said they are now ‘relaxed' after the short holiday.
"We watched games, played games in South Africa. We are fully rejuvenated," he explained.
Former Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka and Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula accompanied Raila, who promised to be talking to Kenyans from time to time.
Ugenya Senator James Orengo and former Kasarani MP Elizabeth Ongoro received them.
Raila said the CORD leadership is ready to engage with ‘everybody.'
Top leaders of CORD did not attend the swearing-in of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on Tuesday.
Kalonzo and Wetangula joined Raila in the trip to South Africa on Saturday night.
Sources said Raila and Kalonzo had been prevailed by CORD MPs to skip the swearing in ceremony after disputing the election of Uhuru and his deputy William Ruto in spite of being invited.
The principals bought the idea, saying attending Uhuru's inauguration would be tantamount to endorsing a regime, whose ascent to power they disputed.
They said even if Raila and Kalonzo were to be in the country, they could not have attended the high profile event that was graced by a host of presidents drawn from Africa.
Embarrass principals
CORD MPs also expressed fears that supporters of Uhuru and Ruto could have been tempted to embarrass Raila and Kalonzo just like it happened in 2002, when President Kibaki took the reins of power from President Moi at Uhuru Park.
Meanwhile, former head of the Anglican Church Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi said CORD leaders should have attended the function at Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani yesterday.
"It would have been wise if Raila and Kalonzo as key leaders in opposition to attend the ceremony," Archbishop Nzimbi told The Standard in a telephone interview.
He added: "They should have listened to the speeches and agenda made by Uhuru and Deputy President William Ruto and hold them accountable if they went against what they promised".
The clergy noted that by skipping the event despite being invited the opposition leaders showed that they still nursed ill feelings with Uhuru after losing the Elections.
Kakamega Senator Dr Bonny Khalwale said Raila and Kalonzo were irrelevant during the occasion and their absence was not a big issue.
"There was nowhere in the protocol where the opposition leaders features thereby making them irrelevant," he added in a telephone interview.
-Additional report by Peter Atsiaya and Renson Buluma
Standard Digital News - Kenya : CORD team jets in, claim rejuvenated
