Ruto Defends His Support For Raila, Wasn’t About 2027 Politics
President William Ruto has stated that his support for Raila Odinga in the African Union Commission chairmanship race was not motivated by personal political objectives.
Ruto told reporters in Addis Ababa on Sunday that he supported Raila because his vision for continental bloc leadership aligned with Kenya’s interests.
“When he (Raila) announced that he wanted to run for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson, I told him I would support him. It was not about politics or 2022 or 2027,” he said.
“It was about the only Kenyan who had aspired to run for a position that we have looked for as a country.”
President William Ruto: I am disappointed that Raila Odinga did not win the AUC seat…I have a regret for Africa, they missed an opportunity to be served by the finest pic.twitter.com/XReFxKGqUn
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) February 16, 2025
Ruto’s statement followed claims made by a group of political analysts in various forums.
They suggested that Ruto’s persistent backing for Raila could be a political ploy to minimize tough competition ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The President spoke in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, a day after Raila was defeated by Mahmoud Ali Youssouf of Djibouti in the AUC election.
Ruto added that he promised Raila that he would throw the entire government machinery and his personal support behind him, and he followed through on that commitment.
The President noted that the former Prime Minister did not disappoint, putting his best foot forward from the start of the campaign path.
“Raila Odinga did not disappoint. He did the best. He met everybody that needed to be met. He spoke to everybody that needed to be spoken to,” Ruto said.
“He did a fantastic job in the debate and in fact, even the naysayers agreed that he came out better than the others in the debate.”
The President was speaking to a group of Kenyan MPs who had traveled to Addis Ababa to support Raila in his bid for the top AUC seat.
The President recalled the anti-government protests on June 25, 2024, and stated they marked a new dawn for Kenya.
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The Generation Z-led anti-government protests spurred Ruto to include Raila loyalists in his broad-based cabinet, a move widely regarded as the antidote to the revolution that nearly brought his government down.
While addressing the same group of MPs, Raila stated that the President did “everything possible” to promote his campaign for the continental role and urged Kenyans to avoid blame games.
“There will be a lot of blame games: I did not do much as expected; I am tired and too old; Ruto was not genuine in supporting me…,” Raila said.
“Ruto did everything possible for this campaign. He gave me all the logistical support I needed and made my appointments to meet all leaders on the continent.”
Ruto Defends His Support For Raila, Wasn’t About 2027 Politics
