Ruto made the first move, not me, Raila defends cooperation

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. [File, Standard]

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has defended his decision to cooperate with President William Ruto, insisting that it was Ruto who approached him to help stabilise the country.

Speaking at a funeral service in Kiambu County on Tuesday, Raila dismissed criticism over his recent deal with Ruto, saying he could not stand by as Kenyans suffered, especially after his failed bid for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship.

"Some people are making noise, claiming that I have abandoned them and joined Ruto. But I did not go to Ruto-Ruto came to me," said Raila.

He maintained that his cooperation with Ruto was motivated by the need to address key national issues, including the Social Health Authority (SHA) and over-taxation, particularly the Housing Levy.

Raila has faced backlash from some Kenyans who view his agreement with Ruto as a betrayal.

However, he insisted that dialogue and unity were necessary to address national challenges.

"Last year, we raised issues that needed to be addressed, but they can't be solved unless leaders come together and talk," said Raila.

"That is why, when Ruto showed concern, he came to me, and I said, 'Let's sit down and resolve the 10 issues we agreed on.' We have given them time to implement these resolutions."

He assured that Ruto had committed to addressing these concerns.

Raila dismissed claims that his cooperation with Ruto was politically motivated ahead of the 2027 elections, asserting that Kenyans would decide on leadership when the time comes.

"Before then, we don't want our people to continue suffering. We must first resolve the issue of SHA, which is not working, and the burden of heavy taxes like the Housing Levy," he said.

Defending his engagement with Ruto's government, Raila said he preferred being part of the solution rather than staying on the sidelines.

"You can't solve problems by sitting back. You need the right people in key positions to ensure solutions are found," he explained. "We can't stand aside while the country struggles-we must work together to fix these issues."