Raila cleared for fifth stab at the presidency

Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga

What you need to know:

  • Mr Odinga and his running mate, Mr Kalonzo Musyoka, presented their papers to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) yesterday at Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).

Nairobi. Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga (pictured) has been cleared by the Kenyan electoral agency to vie for the Presidency on August 8.

Mr Odinga and his running mate, Mr Kalonzo Musyoka, presented their papers to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) yesterday at Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).

Yesterday’s clearence meant the race for the country’s top Job was earnestly on, with Mr Odinga expected to offer stiff challenge to the incumbent, Mr Uhuru Kenyatta.

The National Super Alliance (Nasa) leaders had earlier attended church service at All Saints Cathedral.

It is an apparent search for divine intervention ahead of an election Mr Odinga will be seeking to be Kenya’s president, for the last time.

The leaders, Mr Odinga, his running mate Kalonzo Musyoka, Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto, ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi and Ford Kenya’s Moses Wetang’ula, all attended the service led by Anglican Church of Kenya Provost Sammy Wainaina.

The five leaders who seek to unseat the Jubilee administration in the August 8 elections will then walk towards KICC where Mr Odinga and Mr Musyoka’s papers will be checked by IEBC team led by Chairman Wafula Chebukati.

The choice of the Cathedral, an iconic structure built in the early 20th century, is symbolic because the Church is celebrating 100 years of the Cathedral.

Rev Wainaina, before the service, circulated a bulletin to his congregation in which he called for a “proactive” government in dealing with national challenges.

“Corruption has been with us since the inception of our nation; subsequent governments have not been able to slay this economic dragon. We must change the narrative for a better tomorrow,” he argued in the dispatch.

The cleric spoke widely on economic issues, praising efforts by the national government to improve on living standards through infrastructure development.

“As we embolden the government to spread wide its plan to build Kenya and fast track her economic development, it is worth noting the need for the same government to be proactive rather than reactionary in addressing basic needs of her citizens.

“The recent unga debacle could have been avoided if necessary government institutions were proactive.

“The infrastructural developments are good but so long as the common Kenyan cannot meet the basic needs of housing, food, education and health, our priorities are misplaced,” he said.

Erected in 1917, the imposing building along Kenyatta Avenue is made up of concrete walls but has been modified to suit modern times with the installation of TV screens, audio amplifiers and lighting.

Furthermore, Alliance for Real Change (ARC) presidential candidate Abduba Dida was on Sunday cleared to contest for the Presidency, hours after he had been dealt a blow on by the electoral agency in his bid to be Kenya’s president.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) had refused to accept Mr Dida’s nomination papers to vie for the Presidency on account that he had failed to present certified copies of his degree and that of his running mate.