Nyando Member of Parliament Jared Okello believes Raila Odinga will continue critiquing President Willian Ruto’s government even after entering a work agreement framework with the incumbent administration.

Speaking during a live TV interview on Thursday, March 13, 2025, Okello tipped the former Premier to continue addressing challenges facing Kenyans, stressing that the ODM leader never signed up for his silence in the pact with President Ruto.

The MP asserts that Raila will not turn a blind eye to the ills perpetuated by the government and will call out its excesses.

“Raila is still going to poke holes in this administration but also helping. You just don’t criticize you do it objectively but also by offering solutions. Baba is not going to be silenced just because he has been to Kiambu and said something about SHA. He did not sign for his silence during the signing of the agreement with President Ruto. Acknowledging an issue could be one way of criticising and Raila did acknowledge that SHA is not working which is an issue that has been talked about in the media,” he stated.

The MP further dismissed reports of betrayal fronted by ODM’s partners in the larger Azimio coalition after Raila’s agreement with Ruto.

Okello termed the event as an exclusive affair of Raila’s ODM party and not the business of the coalition.

Betrayal claims

“Its is ODM who signed pact as a party and not the Azimio coalition. This was an ODM affair and not a conglomerate of the outfit. For Kalonzo and co. not to join is correct. When they signed the pact between UDA and ANC, nobody challenged Wetangula for not attending, Why should it be called up for us now?” Okello posed.

Additionally, the Nyando legislator shielded Raila, stating that he was under no obligation to explain his decision before engaging the president.

“Whether new comers and other parties including people in ODM are excited or not, is neither here nor there. Baba reached out to Ruto they publicly signed a document,” he maintained.

The comments from the MP come after Raila castigated the Social Health Authority during his visit to Kiambu on Tuesday, March 11, 2025.

Raila noted that issues bedevilling SHA needed to be addressed urgently to alleviate Kenyans suffering.

“Hatutaki wananchi wetu wazidi kuumia. Mambo ya matibabu ikona shida. Hii mambo ya SHA haifanyi kazi, mpaka irekebishwe (We do not want our people to continue suffering. The healthcare system has an issue. SHA is not working and it must be addressed),” Raila stated.

Raila also stated that the need to make some of the issues work is what informed ODM’s decision to sign a pact with the United Democratic Alliance.

“Haiwezi kurekebishwa kama unakaa Kando, mpaka uingie ndani uwaambie Fanya hii na hii na hii na uweke watu wako wafanye (The issues cannot be addressed if we stay away, you must get in and tell them what to do and even put some of your people to help solve them,” Raila said while defending the newly signed framework.

Not about 2027

At the same time, he moved to dismiss claims that the framework was a key to assuring President William Ruto’s 2027 re-election.

He dismissed the notion, making it clear that people will have the right to pick their rightful candidate in the 2027 presidential polls.

“We cannot just sit and watch as the country sinks. We must work to see if we can help salvage the situation and when the time comes in 2027, Kenyans will decide who to vote for.”