Wiper Democratic Movement leader Kalonzo Musyoka has for the first time revealed behind-the-scenes details of Raila Odinga’s controversial “People’s President” swearing-in ceremony in 2018.
Speaking on the Iko Nini Podcast, Musyoka claimed Odinga had already taken a private oath before the public spectacle at Uhuru Park. According to him, the symbolic act was administered by lawyer Miguna Miguna.
“There was no co-ordination for the Uhuru Park event,” Musyoka said, adding that the opposition principals had anticipated being barred from the grounds by police.
He credited then-president Uhuru Kenyatta, who was away in Addis Ababa, with instructing security forces to stand down and allow the gathering to proceed peacefully, but admitted that there had never been a plan to march to State House, despite speculation at the time.
Musyoka also disclosed that his compound was attacked hours after the rally.
“A grenade was thrown at my home around 2am to scare me off,” he said, recalling how he stayed indoors, fearing for his life while protecting his wife and father. He suggested the incident was staged to fuel divisions within the opposition.
Reflecting on the fallout, Musyoka applauded Kenya’s Generation Z for taking up the mantle of accountability in recent years. “The youth have what it takes to impact meaningful change,” he said.
Odinga’s symbolic swearing-in on 30 January 2018 was a turning point in Kenya’s politics.
Held after he boycotted the October 2017 repeat election, the event drew tens of thousands of supporters but was denounced by the government as treasonous.
Television stations that attempted to broadcast the rally were abruptly taken off air under the orders of the then Interior CS Dr. Fred Matiangi.
“The government was and is aware of the role of some elements in the media who participated in the furtherance of this illegal act. Their complicity would have led to the death of thousands of innocent Kenyans…” said Matiang’i in the 2018 press briefing.
The crisis eventually gave way to the “handshake” in March 2018, when Odinga and Kenyatta stunned the nation by publicly reconciling.
Musyoka said the unprecedented truce caught the NASA team off guard and equally surprised then–Deputy President William Ruto.
