Boni Khalwale reveals secrets of Raila Odinga's mock oath

THURSDAY MARCH 1 2018 

In Summary

• In an interview with a local TV station on Wednesday night, Dr Khalwale said United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, through an agent, convinced the four principals to abandon their plan on the night on January 29.
• The decision, he said, was reached during a dinner hosted by Mr Odinga at his Karen home in the capital Nairobi.
• Mr Guterres, according to the former lawmaker, sent Dr Olesegun Obasanjo, former Nigerian president, who talked Nasa out of the swearing-in ceremony.

By MAUREEN KAKAH
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Details have emerged on why three National Super Alliance (Nasa) principals failed to accompany Raila Odinga during his swearing-in as ‘the people’s president’ at Uhuru Park on January 30.

Mr Kalonzo Musyoka of Wiper, Musalia Mudavadi (Amani National Congress) and Ford-Kenya’s Moses Wetang’ula skipped the event because “there was no swearing-in”.

OBASANJO

This is according to Ford-Kenya deputy party leader and former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale.

In an interview with a local TV station on Wednesday night, Dr Khalwale said United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, through an agent, convinced the four principals to abandon their plan on the night on January 29.

The decision, he said, was reached during a dinner hosted by Mr Odinga at his Karen home in the capital Nairobi.

Mr Guterres, according to the former lawmaker, sent Dr Olesegun Obasanjo, former Nigerian president, who talked Nasa out of the swearing-in ceremony.

“Mr Guterres had sent Dr Obasanjo to represent him to prevail upon the four principals not to take the oath and it was agreed,” said Dr Khalwale.

MEETING

While describing Mr Odinga’s mock swearing-in as a “spur of the moment”, Dr Khalwale said none of the principals should be condemned for failing to show up at Uhuru Park.

“There was no swearing-in. If there were, you would have seen a judge in accordance with the law, various protocols that accompany that function, people invited locally, international as guests and our families,” he said

“It was something that occurred on the spur of the moment; it is a non-issue.”

He fought the “cowards” tag that some Nasa supporters have pinned on Mr Musyoka, Mr Mudavadi and Mr Wetang’ula, saying it is in fact Mr Odinga who abandoned them.

Asked where exactly the three Nasa principals were at the time Mr Odinga was at Uhuru park, Dr Khalwale said they had agreed to meet elsewhere to take a common stand in view of what they had with Dr Obasanjo the night before.

“We were waiting for Mr Odinga to join us to talk to the country because the swearing-in wasn’t going to be there,” he said.

SHOCK

Without disclosing the location of their morning meeting, he pointed out that on the said date, they could not equally drive to Uhuru Park to join Mr Odinga because “everything happened within just 15 minutes”.

He, however, accused the Nasa principals of failing to explain to supporters on what truly transpired.

On the police pullout from Uhuru Park on January 30, Dr Khalwale claimed it was informed by Mr Guterres' message to President Kenyatta.

Mr Guterres, he claimed, informed State House that the oath was not going to be held, leading to the officers’ withdrawal.

Dr Khalwale explained that the turnout at Uhuru Park was equally a shock to them, which forced Mr Odinga to face supporters at the last minute.