KENYA: Odinga ”inaugurates” himself as president

Kenya’s main opposition leader, Raila Odinga, has declared himself the “people’s president” at a controversial “swearing-in” ceremony in the capital.  Thousands of his supporters attended the event, despite a government warning that it amounted to treason.  The authorities shut down TV stations to prevent live coverage of the event.  President Uhuru Kenyatta was sworn in […]

Kenya’s main opposition leader, Raila Odinga, has declared himself the “people’s president” at a controversial “swearing-in” ceremony in the capital. 

Thousands of his supporters attended the event, despite a government warning that it amounted to treason. 

The authorities shut down TV stations to prevent live coverage of the event. 

President Uhuru Kenyatta was sworn in for a second term last November. He won an election re-run in October, but Mr Odinga boycotted it.

Elections were first held in August but the courts ordered a re-run, saying Mr Kenyatta’s victory was marred by irregularities. 

Holding a Bible in his right hand at a park in Nairobi, Mr Odinga declared that he was answering to a “high[er] calling to assume the office of the people’s president of the Republic of Kenya”.