President John Pombe Magufuli allegedly declined to have opposition leader Raila Odinga sworn in as the ‘People’s President’ at the Kenyan embassy in Tanzania. This is according to controversial Kenyan-Canadian lawyer Miguna Miguna who made the revelation in his newly released book titled ‘Treason: The Case Against Tyrants & Renegades.’ Miguna, in the book, purportedly lifts the lid on behind-the-scene discussions that preceded the January 30, 2018 swearing-in ceremony of Mr. Odinga as the ‘People’s President’ at Uhuru Park, Nairobi. He narrates how the National Revolutionary Movement of Kenya (NRM-Ke) committee had proposed that, if it was impossible to swear in Mr. Odinga at a public venue in Nairobi, “then we could do it at a Kenyan Embassy in Ghana or Tanzania.”
The self-declared NRM-Ke General, however, notes that when Mr. Odinga asked Siaya Senator James Orengo to speak to President Magufuli about the possibility of holding the ceremony in Tanzania, he (Magufuli) declined and even opposed their swearing in plans. “According to Orengo, Magufuli believed that leadership was ‘a gift from God’ and that if God had not given Raila that gift,there was no reason to pursue our plans and that Raila should forget about being sworn in as The People’s President,” reads an excerpt from the book.
“In other words, Magufuli was of the view that God did not want Raila to be the president of Kenya. I found such statements to be outrageous. God had not manipulated the August 8, 2017 General Election.”
Miguna also notes how, during a committee meeting on November 28, 2017, at a top hotel in Westlands, Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho had strongly suggested that the swearing in ceremony be held in Kilifi.
“He (Joho) said that the Mijikenda were warriors, just like the Turkana, Pokot or Samburu, and that if the police or any other state security agents tried to disrupt the event in Kilifi, ‘the Mijikenda would unleash hellfire on them,’” reads yet another excerpt.
Miguna further tells of how, on December 9, 2017, he was summoned to former Machakos Senator Johnston Muthama’s house where he spent five hours drafting the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party chief’s inaugural speech and oath.
He adds that, after the speech was reviewed and approved by both Muthama and Orengo, they were driven to prominent businessman Jimmy Wanjigi’s mansion in Muthaiga where he later learnt that they were supposed to swear in Mr. Odinga on that very day.
He goes on to state that Mr. Odinga stepped outside for a phone call and returned ten minutes later saying his fellow National Super Alliance (NASA) co-principals Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetangula had insisted that they postpone the swearing in to a later date.
“As soon as he said that, Muthama passed me his mobile phone. ‘Breaking news! Raila’s swearing in on December 12 has been postponed,’ I read from the Nation mobile news alert. We looked at each other — Orengo, Jimmy and me. We were thunderstruck,” writes Miguna.