Kalonzo, Omtatah Break Silence On Ruto-Raila Pact
The country’s political landscape was rocked on Friday when President William Ruto and opposition leader Raila Odinga inked a political cooperation arrangement at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).
The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) will work together to address critical national issues.
Several political personalities have sharply criticized the accord, which was revealed at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).
Notably, Wiper Democratic Movement leader Kalonzo Musyoka described the accord as “the biggest betrayal of Kenyans.”
What has come out of KICC today is the biggest BETRAYAL of Kenyans. The People's Loyal Coalition will NEVER betray Kenyans for temporary comfort. pic.twitter.com/HahVc8J2zh
— Kalonzo Musyoka (@skmusyoka) March 7, 2025
Musyoka, speaking to guests at the People’s Dialogue Festival in Nairobi’s Uhuru Park, expressed his disappointment with the arrangement.
He underlined the opposition coalition’s dedication to sticking up for the people.
“The people’s loyal coalition will never trade its principles for temporary comfort,” Kalonzo stated.
The MoU between Ruto and Odinga establishes a platform for cooperative consultations on important national issues.
These include the fight against corruption and the implementation of the NADCO report, a consensus document resulting from bipartisan meetings at Kenya’s Bomas in 2023.
Both presidents highlighted that the deal is not about building a new political coalition, but about promoting cooperative governance to help the country flourish.
This comes as reports suggest that Kenyans may see the return of Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
If successful, this will be Odinga’s second tenure in power. However, there are legal hurdles.
Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah also expressed strong opposition to the MoU, particularly the execution of the Nadco findings.
“Anybody supporting Nadco must be removed from public life. Raila Odinga and William Ruto have declared war on the future of this country,” Omtatah declared.
The People’s Dialogue Festival, which began on Wednesday at Uhuru Park, has drawn a number of civil society and political leaders.
Sen. Omtatah: Do you remember which committee gave us Chebukati or Cherera? Because we are using Ad hoc committees to try and achieve independent Institutions, we can not. #FormNiDialogue #PDF2025 #cometubonge @thepdfestival pic.twitter.com/29Huj4uyRy
— K24 TV (@K24Tv) March 7, 2025
Former Chief Justice David Maraga is among the prominent speakers at the forum, which closes on Saturday.
Musyoka’s criticism of the Ruto-Odinga Agreement goes beyond the deal itself.
He has lambasted President Ruto for what he calls “punitive” taxes that have harmed the business environment, prompting investors to flee to neighboring nations.
The Wiper leader has promised to lead Kenyans in denouncing the accord and lobbying for government reforms, such as the elimination of the housing charge.
ALSO READ:
- Parliament Passes VAT Bill For Petroleum, Slashes It To 8%
- Oburu’s ODM Blasts UDA Over Infiltrating ‘Their’ Zone, Demands Respect
- Safaricom Issues Statement After MyOneApp’s Negative Feedback
- IEBC Announces 16 Additional Diaspora Voting Countries
- EXPLAINER: KRA’s New 3-Step Filing Process For Kenyans; How It Works
He urged young people to band together to hold President Ruto and his partner accountable for human rights violations and the country’s worsening economy.
This is the fourth time Odinga, a five-time presidential contender, has entered into an agreement with a sitting president.
Both Ruto and Odinga insist that their agreement is not intended to distribute government jobs, but rather to provide a framework for consultations on matters affecting Kenyans.
Odinga remarked that the accord would “help ease tension in our country,” and that the opposition had understood that simply “standing aside and criticizing” was insufficient.
Kalonzo, Omtatah Break Silence On Ruto-Raila Pact
