Supporters of Kenya's main opposition party, National Super Alliance engaged in street protests to force changes at Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission ahead of the repeat presidential polls slated for Oct. 26 in Nairobi, capital of Kenya, on Oct. 9, 2017. (Xinhua/John Okoyo)
NAIROBI, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's Opposition coalition National Super Alliance (NASA) is keeping the country guessing over its game plan ahead of the Oct. 26 repeat presidential polls as it retreats from political campaigns.
NASA leader Raila Odinga and his running mate Kalonzo Musyoka have kept off the campaign trail for the past two weeks, even as ruling Jubilee Party led by President Uhuru Kenyatta intensified their campaigns, visiting both their strongholds and those of NASA.
NASA has insisted that there would be no polls in the country on Oct. 26 if their demands, which include the sacking of electoral officials accused of bungling the Aug. 8, are not met.
Instead, it has resorted to street protests to push for changes at the electoral commission and force Jubilee to withdraw amendments to the electoral laws.
The protests have been held twice a week for the past two weeks, but starting this week, NASA said they would now be held thrice a week.
But protests aside, it is NASA's withdrawal from campaigns some 16 days to elections that is baffling both foes and friends.
Odinga flies out of the country later this week for visits to the United States and Britain for an unspecified period in an unprecedented political move that has shocked even his supporters.
Before his departure, Odinga and his brigade had cancelled campaign rallies on Sunday at the Coast allegedly to avoid clashing with President Uhuru Kenyatta, who was also visiting the region.
Jubilee Party leaders have accused Odinga of not being keen on repeat polls because he knows he would lose, the reason why he is not campaigning.
Instead, President Kenyatta on Sunday said Odinga is scheming for a coalition government with the help of foreign entities.
"A time has come in our nation when we need to differentiate between leaders who seek leadership for the sake of gaining power and those whose intent is to serve Kenyans and transform lives," he told his supporters.
But Odinga has said he does not need to go to the campaign trail himself as he has hundreds of supporters who are campaigning for him.
"I have soldiers on the ground who are campaigning for me. We have a huge support base so Kenyans already know who their President will be," said Odinga.
His supporters and critics are divided down in the middle on Odinga's strategy to keep off the campaign trail.
"Odinga can boycott the polls. Veteran politician Kenneth Stanley Njindo Matiba boycotted 1997 presidential elections, the country never stopped. Odinga borrows a leaf," said Kimani Ichungwa, a Jubilee lawmaker.
"Who leaves a campaign mid-stream to go to the UK? What could be so urgent? Could it be for medical reasons?" posed Mumbi Seraki, a Jubilee supporter.
Odinga's supporters, however, noted that he cannot hit the campaign trail to create an impression that all is well with the elections yet the ground is not leveled.
"Jubilee is campaigning to create perceptions of winning hearts because they think Kenyans easily change their minds. We cannot fall into such a trap," said Seth Odongo, a NASA supporter.
"There will be no election for President of Republic of Kenya unless and until election commission is reformed and freed from the Jubilee government," noted Nelson Havi, a lawyer and supporter of Odinga.
Lawyer Donald Kipkorir, on the other hand, supported Odinga's trip to the western nation, noting that the tour is important for the reforms process.
"Forget rumors that Raila Odinga will be away until after Oct. 26. He leaves for three days only and will be back to continue push for truth and justice in electoral processes," he said.
NASA lawmaker Opiyo Wandayi noted that there is no need to campaign in elections the party would not participate in.
Henry Wandera, an economics lecturer in Nairobi, noted that while NASA's retreat from political campaigns is baffling, it is informed from the position that they believe their support base is intact.
"NASA knows Kenya's voting pattern, which is that even if they campaign in Jubilee strongholds 100 times, they would not add their basket of votes. On the other hand, even if they don't campaign in their strongholds, they would not lose any votes," he noted.
Wandera added that with all its complaints against the electoral commission, which has not met its demands, it would be foolhardy for NASA to keep on campaigning assuring their supporters that all is well.
"The withdrawal I believe is tactical. It is to reinforce to their supporters that the message that there would be no elections on Oct. 26. If things do not change, I expect to see Odinga campaign vigorously against the polls when he returns in the country," he offered.
