‘Uhuru Told Me So’ – Raila Reveals His Collaboration Deal With Ruto
Raila Odinga, the leader of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), spoke out on Tuesday about the role former President Uhuru Kenyatta played in fostering collaboration between himself and President William Ruto during the country’s Gen Z revolution.
Speaking at the funeral of Mzee Chirchir Masit, the father of former IEBC commissioner Irene Masit, Raila revealed that Kenyatta initiated the discussions that led to the dialogue.
Raila claims it was intended to address concerns raised by Kenya’s youth, particularly the Gen Z generation, following the recent anti-government protests.
Raila: Call from Uhuru made me reach out to Ruto to help save Kenya pic.twitter.com/x8OszvkZAd
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“When the country was burning, former President Kenyatta called me and asked me to reach out to President Ruto to find a solution to the issues being raised by Gen Zs,” Odinga stated.
“We talked, and I told him my thoughts and how to deal with the situation.”
Raila emphasized that while he participated in the discussions, he remained outside of the government structure.
He also stated that there was no agreement to form a coalition government with President Ruto.
“I am not in government. We never agreed with Ruto that we should have a coalition government. He requested me to help him identify people from my side to serve in his administration. I did exactly that,” he added.
The Azimio la Umoja leader’s comments come at a time when there has been much speculation about the nature of the Ruto-Raila relationship.
This comes after key leaders in the opposition party were appointed to lucrative government positions.
Raila’s comments indicate that the collaboration was more about national stability than a formal political alliance.
“I am confident we shall move forward as a nation,” Raila stated.
Despite the challenges, the former Premier expressed optimism about Kenya’s political future.
President Ruto appointed Ali Hassan Joho, Wycliffe Oparanya, John Mbadi, and Opiyo Wandayi as Cabinet Secretaries in the Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs Ministry, the MSMEs docket, the Treasury, and the Ministry of Energy respectively.
All of them were key figures in Raila’s ODM party. The president defended the decision, saying he was forming a broad-based government to bring everyone on board regardless of political affiliation.
Two years after assuming power, Uhuru Kenyatta’s shadow still looms large on the country’s political landscape.
‘Uhuru Told Me So’ – Raila Reveals His Collaboration Deal With Ruto
