Leaders Heap Praises On Absent Cord Coalition Team

Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and former Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka on holiday in South Africa yesterday. PHOTO BY PHILIP ETALE

BY VICTOR RABALLA
WEDNESDAY, 10 APRIL, 2013

The Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) luminaries yesterday gave a wide berth to Uhuru Kenyatta’s inauguration ceremony as the country’s fourth president. Instead, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, former Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka and Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula flew for a vacation to South Africa on Saturday night with their families.

Even in their absence, the leaders, however, received praise from leaders who addressed the crowd at the event held at Kasarani Sports Centre. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni hailed both Raila and Kalonzo for the statesman-like manner in which they handled the election outcome. “They (Raila and Kalonzo) took their grievances to court and accepted the verdict although it was not favourable to them,” he said.

Museveni, however, noted that they too won because they enriched the process by offering clear options out of which the 14 million voters could choose from. Former President Kibaki also congratulated the Grand Coalition Government that he successfully steered with former Prime Minister and former Vice-President.

The Cord principals who all left aboard the same flight are expected back in the country today according to Mwingi Central MP Joe Mutambo. Pictures released by ODM Director of Communications Phillip Etale yesterday displayed the three relaxing at a natural setting in the South African capital city of Johannesburg.

The Cord coalition led by Raila challenged the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) declaration of Uhuru as the winner at the Supreme Court. The court, however, unanimously upheld the declaration of Uhuru as winner of the presidential election, rejecting claims by Raila that the electoral process was flawed. While expressing reservation with the ruling, Raila stated that the Cord leadership’s respect for constitutionalism informed their acceptance.

In his statement to the press on Monday, Raila urged his supporters to remain peaceful and welcome President Kenyatta in style. Raila also announced his coalition’s intent to position itself to execute its role as the main Opposition party in Parliament that would keep President Uhuru’s government in check and make it accountable. He at the same time warned the Jubilee Alliance of raiding parties it had no pre-election agreement with, the intent of weakening the Opposition and other groups that would stand in its way in and outside Parliament.