Saboti Member of Parliament Caleb Amisi has chided a section of Kenyans online calling for Raila Odinga to stand up for them, stating that the ODM founding leader has given up.
“Raila has been fighting for Kenyans against oppressive, retrogressive, dictatorial regimes throughout his life. In return, he has been met with vile abuses, unexplained extreme hatred, ethnically mobilised opposition against him, and denied a chance to lead 5 times,” Amisi said.
He noted that the crop of Kenyans calling for Raila’s initial opposition to the government’s excesses failed to support him during the struggle.
“He has given up on you. Yes, I am telling you to get prepared. You are on your own. You will cry for Baba, but you won’t see him. Young leaders have woken up and tried risking on the streets, but they don’t get the much-needed support,” Amisi added.
Support leaders
Amisi urged the citizenry to learn to support emerging leaders at the forefront of advocating for fairness in the country.
This comes after Raila appeared to support the Indian conglomerate Adani Group– which he said was a reputable company whose name should not be dragged in the mud.
Speaking on Sunday, October 13, 2024, after the ODM party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Mombasa, Raila said the government was right to engage the private sector in developing critical infrastructure if the country should remain competitive in the region.
Adani project portfolio
Raila recalled an invitation he received from the current Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi – then the Chief Minister of Gujarat, where he was introduced to Adani.
He noted that the conglomerate had managed to achieve mega projects within and outside of India, stating that the Kenyan government had identified it as early as 2010.
Adani signed a Ksh96 billion deal with the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO) on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, in a deal which will see Adani Energy Solutions build the four electricity lines in the country and upgrade them to meet the country’s demands.
Also in the pipeline is a planned takeover of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport which will see Adani manage the country’s main gateway for the next 30 years, building infrastructure and managing its finances.
While a section of Kenyans have been calling for Raila to renew his push for transparent leadership, the former Prime Minister has shied away from the thorny issues, choosing to side with the state position.
Raila banks on the current government to mobilise support for his bid to become the next African Union Commission chairperson in February 2025, when the continent’s heads of state will choose the leader of the commission during the summit in Addis Ababa.
