Raila’s Swearing-In Is Not Illegal- LSK Confirms

The Law Society of Kenya president Isaac E.N Okero affirmed that it would not be illegal if the opposition went ahead to swear in Raila Odinga as president.

Mr Okero through an article he wrote on Saturday, clarified that the National Super Alliance (NASA) leader would not be committing treason contrary to what some politicians were claiming.

“Any citizen can decide to swear himself in as President and call his or her local priest. How is that treasonous? It would have no legal effect,” Mr Okero stated.

“What the legal requirement for an effective act of the assumption of the Office of the President requires if a citizen undertakes a process that has none of those underpinnings it will still have no legal effect,” he added.

[caption caption="LSK President Isaac Okero"][/caption]

He clarified that whoever was talking about treason was looking to make a mountain out of a molehill.

Mr Okero maintained that any call to characterise the second swearing-in as treason was nothing more than a political statement.

The LSK president further stated that the determination by the Supreme Court of Kenya affirming the election on October 26, 2017, of President Uhuru Kenyatta marked the close of the 2017 presidential elections.

In the statement, Mr Okero condemned the wave of violence that had struck and stated that the leadership of the Police Service cannot escape blame.

“A notification of intention to hold an assembly and demonstration march duly received by the office of the Inspector General of Police the demonstration march then violently dispersed with police officers captured in photographs stoning passing motorists at the scene,” Mr Okero stated.

[caption caption="NASA protesters clash with police"][/caption]

Additionally, the LSK President maintained that right to assemble and demonstrate was guaranteed by Constitution and further required the police to facilitate and not to obstruct its safe and proper exercise.

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