Delegates seek clarity on Raila, Ruto ties

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga was put to task to explain the relationship between the ODM and the Kenya Kwanza government.

Raila denied that the party had entered into any political marriage with President William Ruto.

Instead, Raila said there was need for more dialogue on constitutional reform and some of the issues that were raised by the youth when the demonstrated.

He was responding to questions from delegates, who sought clarity on the party’s decision to have five top officials join Ruto’s Cabinet.

Delegates from Kwale County asked the party leadership to clear the air on whether they were in government because they had been left out of the plan to host this year’s Mashujaa Day in Kwale town next week.

Addressing ODM delegates from six counties in Coast, Raila claimed it was Kenya Kwanza that requested to have ODM members in the government. “ODM remains very firmly in its position as an opposition party and in Azimio. We are not in coalition with Kenya Kwanza,” he added.

“They asked for experts from ODM to go and help them in grey areas. We released them but that did not mean we had joined Kenya Kwanza government .”

Raila called for the speedy reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) so that it can conduct by-elections across the country.

He said ODM would back the re-election of former Magarini MP Harry Kombe who lost the seat through a court petition.

Also at the event were acting ODM party leader Anyang’ Nyong’o, deputy party leaders Simba Arati, Abdudulswmad Nassir and Godfrey Osotsi, and chairperson, Gladys Wanga.

He praised Prof Nyong’o, saying he had been steadfast in the fight against bad rule, addin g that the Kisumu Governor would steadily steer the party while he is away campaigning to be elected as chairman for the African Union Commission.

The former Prime Minister also retraced his long history of the struggle for democracy.

“I remember being a Young Turk, fighting for democratic space when I witnessed some of my colleagues going to jail as others died because of the fight against bad rule in the country,” he said.

He also demanded that those who killed and injured protestors last year and this year be prosecuted.

Raila called for the full implementation of the National Dialogue Committee report, which was a product of talks between Kenya Kwanza and Azimio.

Raila also took issue with the government over how the police arrested Tana River Governor Dhadho Godana over ongoing clashes in the area.

“The Governor should have been summoned to record the statement instead of arresting him. He should have been called to record a statement and when the police have evidence then he should be taken to court,” he said.