Opposition leader Raila Odinga being sworn in at a past ceremony. [Photo|kenya-post.com]
Details have emerged that NASA leader Raila Odinga was 'forced' to call for his swearing-in on December 12.
Raila had declared that he was to take oath on the Jamhuri Day, but two days to the ceremony, NASA leaders, without giving reasons, announced they postponed the event.
It has now emerged that NASA top lawyers dissuaded the coalition to call off the event to prevent Raila being labeled a 'rebel'.
In a legal opinion they wrote, the lawyers held that it was their responsibility to 'secure Raila the person, his reputation and his legacy'.
"Raila is currently under the sway of the radical elements of NASA who are leading him along a political direction that could compromise his legacy of fighting for democracy," reads the opinion in possession of Daily Nation.
The legal team advised that Raila should ignore the demands of 'radical' element and cancel the planned swearing-in.
"People are angry, and Raila must fight for them. However we must be fair to Raila and not spill everything he has achieved in terms of legacy by providing him with only the most radical of options in this right for electoral justice," the opinion reads further.
On Sunday, delegates during the Coast People's Assembly convention demanded that Raila be sworn in and even presented him with the Bible, but the NASA leader declined to take oath.
When he rose to speak, Raila, however, vowed he will be sworn in if President Uhuru Kenyatta does not talk to him.
"Nobody will stop me from lifting the bible. It is better to stand up for the truth and die while at it, than to die lying down," he said.
This could mean Raila, once again, has bowed to pressure from 'radical elements' to take oath.