New details have emerged on how NASA leader Raila Odinga allegedly tricked his co-principals to ensure they did not accompany him on the day he took his controversial “oath of office”.

The Standard reported its sources, privy to the matter, indicating that Odinga changed the swearing in plans at the last minute, without informing his colleagues Kalonzo Musyoka, Musalia Mudavadi, and Moses Wetangula.

According to the sources, Odinga was to meet with his co-principals on the Tuesday he took his oath of office, from where the four would drive to Uhuru Park as a group.

Barrack Muluka

“Raila gave the other principals a Nigerian mobile phone number and said he would be contacting them the next day (Tuesday). However, he only spoke once to Kalonzo on that Tuesday morning and asked him to meet at Wetangula’s home. After that, no one picked calls to that line,” the Standard’s source stated.

The narrative was corroborated by the People which quoted ANC Secretary General Barrack Muluka, claiming that Odinga tricked and misled his co-principals with the intention of ensuring he was the only one who would be sworn in.

Muluka added that Mudavadi and Musyoka were concerned with the safety of NASA supporters at the event, but their worried were always dismissed.

“Whenever Kalonzo and Wetang’ula raised concern regarding the possibility of violence and even a bloodbath, they were told that indeed, people will have to die. They were reminded that death was inevitable at such times,” Muluka stated.

Wording of Kalonzo's oath

The ANC Secretary General added that Odinga and his close allies had also refused to provide the words which would be used to swear in the Wiper Leader.

“This became a thorny issue. It was inconceivable that as senior Advocates of the High Court, Kalonzo and Wetang’ula were not involved in drafting of the oath that one of them, Kalonzo himself, was set to take,” he recalled.

Muluka claimed that on Tuesday afternoon, he was in the company of the three principals as they waited for Odinga to join them as promised.

“To the shock and dismay of Kalonzo, Mudavadi and Wetang’ula, Raila arrived at Uhuru Park in the company of his ODM lieutenants. It was clear Raila had not wanted to involve them. That is betrayal,” the ANC Secretary General said.