This archive report was first published on 6 December 2019.
Siaya Senator James Orengo has revealed that the UK revoked ODM leader Raila Odinga's visa after his mock swearing-in on January 30th, 2018.
According to Orengo, who also had his visa withdrawn, this decision was made by the UK government in response to Odinga's mock swearing-in ceremony.
However, Orengo denied claims by ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi that this was the reason why Odinga accepted to meet President Kenyatta for talks that culminated in the historic March 2018 handshake.
Senator Orengo was reacting to Mudavadi's recently-published memoirs, Soaring Above the Storms of Passion, which give inside happenings in the Nasa coalition ahead of Odinga's mock swearing-in.
Published on December 6th, 2019, Orengo's comments were made in an interview with the Daily Nation.
‘I was with Raila when Acting Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Donald Yamamoto called him, saying if he went on with the oath certain consequences, including a visa ban, would follow. And Raila told him that the US couldn’t impose a president on Kenya and that in any event, he had no interest in traveling to the US,’ said Orengo.
Despite the pressure from foreign diplomats, Orengo insisted that the threats did not work and that Kenyatta and Odinga entered into a unity pact to heal the nation.
