Raila denies cutting short US tour over joint NASA ticket crisis

Opposition chief Raila Odinga has denied claims he cut short his tour of the US over a crisis in the National Super Alliance (NASA).

Odinga left the country on March 10 for South Africa, then to the US and was to be away for "slightly over a week".

In a statement, Odinga's spokesman Dennis Onyango on Saturday said the Opposition leader will be back in the country this evening.

Onyango said Odinga is due in the country on Monday, which will be the tenth day since he left.

He said the period is within the time frame described in a statement on March 10 that he would be away for "slightly over a week".

"The claim by the Sunday Nation today (Sunday) that Odinga has cut short his stay in the US to attend NASA crisis talks is therefore a lie and a fabrication intended to create the impression that there is a monumental problem in the NASA he is rushing back to resolve," said Onyango.

He also denied there are crisis talks scheduled by NASA as claimed by the newspaper. "Any talks between the leaders would be routine consultations that should be expected," he added.

"It would be a crisis when the leaders don't meet. NASA takes the Sunday Nation story as part of the propaganda war being waged on the Opposition by the Government using media outlets whose purpose is to create panic and a siege mentality among NASA supporters," said Onyango.

He said Raila travelled to the US from South Africa for a number of engagements.

The allegations come after days of heightened speculation that Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka is planning to go it alone in the August polls.

There have also been bitter exchanges among NASA affiliates on whether to hold joint or separate nominations next month in party strongholds to secure a majority of seats in the next parliament.