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Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot during the requiem mass of the late Baringo Senator William Cheptumo at the AIC Church Milimani in Nairobi, on February 27, 2025. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]
Kenya Kwanza has defended its dalliance with the Raila Odinga party, claiming talks between the two sides are not just about sharing positions.
Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot said they have been comparing notes on points of convergence, citing projects captured in the Azimio la Umoja manifesto that are similar to what the government is rolling out.
“I do not think that is what this architecture is about. I can tell you without a doubt that even in the length of the conversation that has been had so far, and I can say this because I have some depth of knowledge of what is being discussed or has been discussed this far, there’s very little about who gets what at a personal level,” he said in an interview with KTN.
He cited issues like the universal health coverage and affordable housing, which were part of the Azimio manifesto. “This is a political engagement of two formations that have been on both ends of the political spectrum. You can’t quickly just rush and fuse in together at an instance, it takes time. There are things that we have to understand about each other and things that we do not see the same way, we hold completely opposite views on other issues,” he said.
“A coalition agreement at this particular time and place no, not possible maybe in the future but not at this point.”
He defended President William Ruto’s performance, claiming the country was spending 70 per cent of revenue collection to pay off debts, and is left with little for development and recurrent expenditure.
With this realization, he said it is about making things work for ordinary Kenyans noting that ODM base has pushing over the years and the reason they have kept on voting for their leader, Raila Odinga.
According to Cheruiyot, the things that ODM hoped to address had they formed the government would be part of the so-called broad-based arrangement.
“That is the long and short of what we are discussing by and large between ODM and Kenya Kwanza. So it’s simplistic to reduce it about just where will Raila sit. I think it’s bigger than that and it is deeper, you know, trying to bring equity to the country,” he said.
Cheruiyot said calls to give Raila the Prime Minister position were personal.
After Raila lost the African Union Commission bid, a section of MPs said he be considered for the PM seat, calling for the implementation of the National Dialogue Committee report.
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The Standard Group Plc is a
multi-media organization with investments in media platforms spanning newspaper
print operations, television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. The
Standard Group is recognized as a leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key
influence in matters of national and international interest.
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