I Was Misquoted, Moses Wetang'ula Says on Ditching NASA

Ford-Kenya leader Moses Wetang'ula has retracted his earlier claim that National Super Alliance (NASA) has died.

Earlier this week, the Bungoma senator had announced he had officially left the outfit, citing betrayal by Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga.

“In my view, Nasa is now a moribund organization. Nasa is history. We were in Nasa as FORD-Kenya in a coalition of the willing, we suffered a massive betrayal by our presidential candidate and as a party we are now focused on how to strengthen our grassroots support and to strengthen our national appeal,” Wetang'ula, who was a Nasa co-principal said in Kilifi.

Speaking during a burial in Busia County on Saturday, Wetang'ula said he was quoted out of context on ditching the alliance.

"When I said Nasa is moribund I didn’t mean it was dead. By moribund I meant the coalition is in Intensive Care Unit."

"We have to agree that the outfit is facing many challenges. [That is] the reason why you are seeing member parties speaking from different scripts," he said.

At the same time, Wetang'ula asked Odinga to repay the support the Luhya community has given him in his past presidential bids by backing one of their own in 2022.

"In 2013 I shelved my ambitions to support Raila; last year again I and Musalia did the same. We have supported him three times and [it is] high time he reciprocated."

He said he is ready to team up with other leaders with a view of forming government in 2022.

"Our proposed merger with ANC and other like-minded parties is aimed at building a strong pillar that will anchor a strong coalition. We want to see the leadership of this country more inclusive than before," he said.