Opposition leader Raila Odinga took on a camp allied to the Deputy President William Ruto as he told Kenyans to prepare for a major political battle ahead of 2022.
Raila said that the political battle will be between a united and prosperous nation that is devoid of corruption against those who believe in the status quo made of ethnic divisions, theft and plunder of public resources.
In bare knuckle attack at the DP and his lieutenants, Raila asked Kenyans to be wary of those opposing his relationship with President Uhuru Kenyatta and the war on corruption because such people do not mean well for the country.
“Don’t be swayed or derailed by politics of 2022. There are things we must fix before 2022. If we don’t stand up now, things are going to get worse,” Raila said at Burma Market while on his way to condole with the family of former Assistant Minister Oduya Oprong.
The 2022 politics in the recent past has been escalated by the warring factions of ‘Kieleweke’ allied to President Uhuru and Raila while the ‘Tangatanga’ camp has been drumming support for Ruto’s 2022 bid.
President Uhuru has kept the country guessing on his preferred candidate in 2022, sending mixed signals every time he is seen in public with his DP or his political nemesis turned friend and ‘brother’ Raila.
The President is serving his second and final term but some quarters feel that he is “too young to retire”.
As per the 2013 Jubilee agreement, Ruto should be his successor, but since the handshake between Uhuru and Raila on March 9 last year, there has been tension and suspicion between the two camps.
Uhuru’s silence on their alleged pact to back Ruto after he retires, has since seen the DP employ a more assertive approach for his Statehouse bid. He has been going round to various parts of the country wooing leaders to jump to his camp as a backup scheme should Uhuru ditch him.
And to do this, Ruto has been engaging in fundsdrive in churches and other learning institutions and using the platform to sell his presidential bid policies to the electorate.
Political observers feel this came after interior CS Fred Matiang’i was mandated by President Uhuru to take control of all government projects that the DP had initially been launching without the president’s blessings.
But the latest remarks by Raila who spoke to supporters when he hosted a section of Nairobi leaders for lunch at the Burma Market is a clear indication that the two are in for political combat.
The former Premier also said that the coming days will be pivotal for the country that is struggling with unprecedented corruption and ethnic divisions.
“The coming changes would provide a chance to restore some sanity to our politics and running of public affairs,” added Raila.
Last month, Raila also told Kenyans to brace for massive changes ahead of the 2022 general election and warned that those who try to resist it will be consumed by a raging tide.
The ODM party leader had made the remarks at the homecoming party for Nyatike MP Tom Odege described the change as ‘very fundamental’ to Kenyans.
“You cannot resist change. If you try to, it will overwhelm you. An idea whose time has come cannot be stopped,” Raila said at Nyatike grounds.
While vowing not to be intimidated, he said he will deal with emerging issues without fear or pain for a better Kenya.
