Raila leads Nasa chiefs in talks on oath plan

Nasa leaders Raila Odinga and Musalia Mudavadi at a past event. For the last two days, Mr Odinga, Mr Kalonzo Musyoka, Mr Mudavadi and Mr Moses Wetang'ula have had at least two meetings. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO | NATION MEDIA GROUP.

What you need to know:

  • The four principals are working round the clock preparing for something that may be the most open act of defiance.
  • The concern of the leaders is that the State may mercilessly crash their supporters.

The government’s response to the planned swearing-in of opposition leader Raila Odinga and his running mate Kalonzo Musyoka and the implication of such action to the international community have been key items of the near secret meeting of the four Nasa leaders.

With less than two weeks to the planned date of the event, the four principals are working round the clock preparing for something that may be the most open act of defiance against a state, or cancel it altogether in favour of national dialogue that the majority of the four leaders favour.

FINAL TERM

For the last two days, Mr Odinga, Mr Musyoka, Mr Musalia Mudavadi and Mr Moses Wetang'ula have had at least two meetings whose import is to assess the future of the coalition in view of the November 28 swearing in of President Uhuru Kenyatta for his final term of office.

The first meeting was held on Monday at Karen County Club and the second was held yesterday at, what a source told the Daily Nation, was in  a private residence of a mutual friend in Lavington area.

Former Machakos senator Johnson Muthama, who is also the co-chair of the coalition coordinating committee confirmed it took place but could not offer details.

“The meeting took place and all the four principals attended,” Mr Muthama said noting that he could not offer details of the agenda or the venue because he was not part of the parley.

AGENDA

However, in trying to speculate the agenda, a source within the coalition, who did not attend the meeting, told the Daily Nation yesterday that the four leaders discussed the ramifications of their proposal to swear in their leaders.

Mr Musyoka seems to have made a turn round on his previous public pronouncement that he would be sworn in besides Mr Odinga should the Jubilee State not accede to national dialogue. The same is the case with Mr Mudavadi.

The position of Mr Wetangula on this is not clear, though sources have indicated that he seems to cast his vote in the direction of the other two.

The concern of the leaders is that the State may mercilessly crash their supporters if they convene for the oath taking. In fact, some sources say Mr Mudavadi and Mr

Musyoka have questioned whether the State will willingly allow them to assemble for the ritual.

“The hard question is whether the State will look on meekly as Mr Odinga and company assemble in a public place for the event,” an aide of one of the politician said yesterday.