Raila urges supporters to ‘move on’ after loss

Prime Minister Raila Odinga addresses Nairobi's CORD County representatives at a Nairobi hotel on April 3rd 2013. Photo/ANN KAMONI  NATION MEDIA GROUP

By NATION REPORTER
Posted  Wednesday, April 3  2013 at  23:30

Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Wednesday told his supporters not to mourn his election loss, insisting he will still participate in nation building even from outside government.

Mr Odinga said he was dismayed by news that three of his supporters committed suicide after the Supreme Court upheld the election of Uhuru Kenyatta as president.

The PM, who was speaking at a luncheon he hosted in honour of 43 Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) county representatives in Nairobi, said it was wrong for people to endlessly agonise over the election outcome.

Move forward

He told his supporters that it was time for Kenya to move forward.

“I am amazed that when people come to see me, they take their time saying sorry for me. I want to tell Kenyans that I am still firm and strong. I have not fallen,” said Mr Odinga who was making the first public appearance after losing the petition.

He further stated: “I am saddened that one person in Migori and two in Kibera took away their own lives because of election results.”

The outcome of the poll results has disappointed hundreds of Mr Odinga’s supporters who had rested their hopes on a favourable judgment by the Supreme Court.

Mr Odinga is said to have been expecting a judicial outcome that could have led to a run-off between him and Mr Kenyatta.

“When he realised we were sympathizing with him, he turned around and told us he was in fact the one sympathising with Kenya,” said one of the PM’s aide.

Now Mr Odinga has lined up a series of boardroom meetings and luncheons with sectional members of his Cord party to strategise on his next course of action.

ODM secretary-general Anyang Nyong’o who accompanied the PM to the luncheon called on the coalition’s supporters not to lose hope over the election outcome.

“Do not lose hope. Change comes in different ways and the path is not straight it can be zig-zag,” Prof Nyong’o stated.