KENYAN opposition leader Raila Odinga has been sworn in as “the people’s president” during a mock inauguration, held in protest over President Uhuru Kenyatta’s new term in office.
The government, which warned the event could amount to treason, cut live transmission of the country’s top three TV channels as a huge crowd of tens of thousands gathered in a Nairobi park.
Kenyatta had “expressly threatened to shut down and revoke the licenses of any media house” that aired live broadcasts, the Kenya Editors Guild said.
Though police were withdrawn without explanation at Uhuru Park, a heavy police presence remained in the capital’s slums, which are opposition strongholds. Odinga said he felt vulnerable attending the “swearing-in” after his security was withdrawn.
“We are seeing the return of an authoritarian, imperial presidency in our country and rule by fiat, and this must be resisted,” he said ahead of the ceremony.
It came after months of political uncertainty and bloodshed. Kenya’s Supreme Court nullified the August election after Odinga claimed that hackers had infiltrated the electoral commission’s computer system and changed results in favour of Kenyatta.
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