Raila Odinga has revealed that former President Uhuru Kenyatta played a crucial role in establishing the broad-based government. According to Raila, Uhuru Kenyatta requested that he meet with President William Ruto to address concerns raised by Gen Z protesters.
Raila followed Uhuru’s advice and held discussions with Ruto about the national issues at hand.
“When the country was burning, former President Kenyatta called me and asked me to reach out to President Ruto to address Gen Z’s concerns. We talked, and I shared my views on managing the situation,” Raila stated in Elgeyo Marakwet.
The former Prime Minister explained his decision to collaborate with President Ruto based on their established working relationship. He recalled serving as Prime Minister during the Grand Coalition government, while Ruto was the Minister for Agriculture. Raila also noted that Uhuru Kenyatta and Prime CS Musalia Mudavadi were his deputies at that time.
“We agreed on the need for dialogue among Kenyans because the issues raised by Gen Z are affecting our nation. We decided that open discussion was essential to find solutions to these problems,” Raila said.
He added, “I reached out to Ruto because he is my friend, and I have worked with all of them. Mudavadi and Uhuru were my deputies, and Ruto was the agriculture minister.”
Raila reported that Uhuru had warned that ongoing chaos would affect everyone, highlighting the urgent need for a resolution.
“Ruto approached me, and I spoke to him openly because I prefer addressing issues directly. We had candid discussions, but the media mistakenly reported that we had already reached a handshake agreement,” he said.
Raila reaffirmed that ODM has not joined the government and clarified that President Ruto had asked him to help select opposition leaders to support the Kenya Kwanza administration and move the country forward. “I am not part of the government. We did not agree with Ruto on forming a coalition government. He requested my assistance in identifying individuals from my side to serve in his administration, and I complied. I am confident we will advance as a nation,” Raila stated.
He emphasized that his primary focus remains on ensuring peace in Kenya, even as he seeks the position of Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC).
“I have shown interest in the AUC chairperson role, but I cannot settle in Addis Ababa while my home country is in turmoil. It is my responsibility to help stabilize Kenya for future generations,” Raila concluded.
