RAILA ODINGA: Former Premier Addresses Ksh13 Billion Expenditure On AUC Campaigns
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has responded to allegations that the government spent billions of dollars on his candidacy for African Union Commission (AUC) head.
On Tuesday, February 24, the former Prime Minister made his first public appearance since losing the race, accompanying President William Ruto to State House Mombasa for an address.
It was his homecoming celebration after months of campaigning outside the country.
Raila denied that the government spent Ksh13 billion on his efforts in the run-up to the AUC elections.
“I have seen somebody talking about Ksh13 billion that was spent on the campaign. I don’t know which world these guys live in and whether they know what a billion means,” he said.
The former Prime Minister added that the government simply intervened to provide transportation to and from the nations he visited.
“Nothing can be further from the truth, no such amount was spent. The government only came through with transport to and from the countries we visited, some countries were generous enough to provide accommodation for us.”
“We only used money necessary to facilitate the campaigns,” Raila Odinga refutes claims Ksh.13 billion was used for his AUC bid pic.twitter.com/JtneuHxtl9
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) February 24, 2025
The astonishing Ksh13 billion accusations were made public by Juja Member of Parliament George Koimburi, who has subsequently faced legal repercussions for them.
Last Tuesday, the MP was questioned by DCI investigators and later released on Ksh200,000 cash bail after facing six charges of forgery and uttering fraudulent documents.
Raila also used his time in Mombasa to express his gratitude to President William Ruto and other MPs for their overwhelming support prior to the elections.
“Now I’m delighted to be back home. I feel very happy and delighted to be back in Kenya,” Raila said.
“I want to thank everybody, the President, the deputy, the ministers and leaders, and Kenyans generally who travelled with us on this journey.”
Amid uncertainties about his future political move, Raila promised to reveal his plans soon after consulting with allies and other key players.
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“I’m back home. I will meet with my friends and supporters and I will consult widely and in due course, we are going to announce our way forward,” he affirmed.
“For today, we are here to accompany the president and to thank the Kenyans who supported me.”
Despite leading in the first round with 20 votes, Raila was eliminated in the sixth round after earning 22 votes against Djibouti’s Foreign Minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf’s 26.
In the seventh round, Youssouf defeated Raila with 33 votes, securing the chairmanship for the next four years.
RAILA ODINGA: Former Premier Addresses Ksh13 Billion Expenditure On AUC Campaigns
