Nasa three intriguing hours before Raila's 'swearing in'

Hours before the swearing-in of National Super Alliance (NASA) leader Raila Odinga, there was a private meeting at an exclusive Nairobi hotel.

At the venue, one group supporting the oath-taking took time to convince the three coalition principals to go ahead with it.

The meeting at the hotel in Riverside was attended by Raila, coalition co-principals Musalia Mudavadi and Senate Leader of Minority and Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula, Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, Siaya Senator James Orengo and businessman Jimi Wanjigi. There were also a few MPs.

Phone conversations

The Standard has learnt that the private meeting that began at 11am was supposed to be the final congregation before all the leaders left together for the event in Uhuru Park, but it turned out there were disagreements.

Although three of the leaders had been vocal in their support of the ceremony, Mudavadi and Wetang’ula expressed their reluctant to attend the event during the talks that lasted three hours, according to sources.

At some point, the principals, including Kalonzo, who participated in the deliberations through phone conversations from home, seemed to agree to attend the meeting.

Instead, Mudavadi and Wetang’ula left for their homes at around 2.10pm while Raila drove into an ecstatic crowd at Uhuru Park.

The talks at the hotel almost delayed the ‘inauguration’, which according to the event organisers, was supposed to begin at 8.30am, when the public were meant to be seated.

Both Raila and Kalonzo had been scheduled to take an oath at noon.

Minutes after Raila left alone solo for the ceremony, Kalonzo, Mudavadi and Wetang’ula regrouped at Wiper party offices where they crafted and sent a joint press statement at 3.13pm, affirming their unity.

“We agreed to meet again this morning. However, due to circumstances beyond our comprehension and control, the four of us did not assemble as planned.

“Nonetheless, the NASA Summit (Rt Hon Raila Amolo Odinga, HE Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka, Hon Musalia Mudavadi and Hon Moses Wetang’ula) remains strong and united. The summit will meet within two days to address the immense challenges facing this country,” read part of the statement

Immediately after taking the oath, Raila told the crowd in Kiswahili that Kalonzo was not physically present, but he was with them. He said Kalonzo would be sworn in later.

He also assured that Wetang’ula and Mudavadi were together with NASA and their supporters would learn later what had transpired.

He later repeated what he had said in English.

“Today is the first step in doing away with election autocracy in our country and establishing proper democracy in our country.

People united

“I thank the people of Kenya for the courage, patience and fortitude that you have shown the rest of the world - that a people united cannot be defeated,” he said.

In the statement, Mudavadi, Kalonzo and Wetang’ula said they would “rededicate themselves” to the continued pursuit of the reform agenda for the country.

Prior to yesterday’s three-hour meeting, the four principals had spent the better part of Monday in a lengthy closed-door meeting at a private Karen residence where they had initially agreed to meet in the morning and drive in a convoy to Uhuru Park.

In a day full of activity, it has also emerged that from Monday night through to yesterday morning, police began withdrawing the security details of all the principals.

According to a senior police source who sought anonymity, the leaders’ security personnel, including that of their close supporters, was withdrawn because the Government would not protect the politicians as they planned to engage in an illegality.

“We agreed that if the NASA leaders were going to insist on the swearing-in, which is unconstitutional, then our officers would not be sitting there watching as the persons they are supposed to guard engaged in illegalities,” said the top police officer.

Wetang’ula yesterday confirmed security officers at his Nairobi and Bungoma residences had been withdrawn.

“The Administration Commandant of Chwele personally drove into my home and picked the officers. Raila’s, Kalonzo’s and Mudavadi’s day and night security officers were also recalled,” he said.

Wetang’ula said he was aware that as their security officers were being withdrawn, Jubilee Party politicians were being assigned more officers to their homes.

Homa Bay Woman Representative Gladys Wanga said she was not sure about her security as they had not interacted with her the entire day.