How parallel swear-in ceremony caused trouble in Raila's family – Miguna Miguna's new book reveals

How parallel swear-in ceremony caused trouble in Raila's family – new book reveals

Tony Mukere

January 29, 2019 2:49 PM

Insider spills the beans

How parallel swear-in ceremony caused trouble in Raila's family – Miguna Miguna's new book reveals

ODM Leader Raila Odinga’s plan to take a parallel oath as the people’s President sharply split and caused conflict among members of his family, this is according to a new book, Treason, authored by Miguna Miguna.

Miguna, who eventually swore in Odinga at a public rally held at Uhuru Park on January 30^th 2017, says the ODM leader had grown feet on several occasions.

The exiled lawyer narrates that Odinga on several occasions frustrated his swearing in ceremony at the last minute – much to the disappointment of his family members and close aides.

According to Miguna, part of the confusion facing the former Prime Minister was the counter advice he was getting from family members and political allies.

His children, Junior and Winnie, were firmly for the swearing in while his brother, Oburu, and his wife, Ida Odinga were firmly opposed to the plans.

One such incident happened at the Dusit Hotel prior to December 12 when the swearing in ceremony had been planned.

Excerpt

[“I finished, satisfied I had done my best. Wanjigi cheered. Orengo was noncommittal. Muthama was gloomy. Junior and Winnie looked happy. But Raila was stewing in rage. He stood up and walked slowly into the bathroom. As soon as he closed the bathroom, Junior stood up and moved closer to where I was seated.

“Do you think he is OK” Don’t you think he is mad?” Junior asked, pointing at his head, suggesting that maybe his father had become insane.

“I agree with Junior, he is mad,” Winnie said in a low tone, her hand making a circling move over her head.

“Shhhhh…Don’t say that!” Wanjigi hissed, his right index finger on his mouth.

But before he could say more, Raila was back. He fiddled with his mobile phone before calling his elder brother Oburu. We heard him arrange to meet him after lunch... “There is something wrong with him,” Winnie said as soon as Raila and Joho had left.

“He is crazy. He answers a phone from some nobody in the middle of an important meeting then gives Orengo the phone. Who does that?”

“Something is wrong with his head,” Junior picked.

“Nyar Gem and Oburu are also a big problem. They are the ones putting pressure on him not to be sworn I,” he was referring to his mother, Ida Odinga, who was born in Gem in Siaya county. ]

Tony Mukere