The excitement by allies of the opposition chief when he signed a pact with Ruto to form the broad-based government seems to have fizzled out one month later, leaving Kenyans guessing on whether ODM is making a tactical retreat due to the public backlash that met the bromance.

The razzmatazz that greeted the coming together of the two leaders is on a decline with some of Raila’s lieutenants now disclosing that they do not know the real reason behind the rapprochement.

A month ago, Raila’s allies Hassan Joho (Mining and Blue Economy), Opiyo Wandayi (Energy), John Mbadi (National Treasury), Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga and National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohammed were defending the government with all their might.

The leaders, who only a few days ago were boisterously traversing the country singing platitudes for Dr Ruto and why he should be re-elected in 2027, seems to have made a 360-degree aboutturn and have started the talk of ODM being on the ballot in the next general election.

The quintet has since gone slow in defending the government and are hardly vocal on the pros of the coming together to form the broad-based government. They have also not accompanied the president on his tours across the country over the last one month.
Interviews with a cross section of politicians from both Kenya Kwanza and ODM confirms the excitement that had met the broad-based government a month ago has been easing off.

Homa Bay Town MP Opondo Kaluma who was on X, formerly Twitter, has since decreased firing salvos at anyone who has been opposed to the newfound political camaraderie between President Ruto and his nemesis-turned-friend Raila.

Exercising caution

Makadara legislator George Aladwa who had even threatened to lead an onslaught to remove ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna and others critical of the broad-based government from office has since gone mute.

“If the secretary-general continues to fight the political handshake, we will have no choice but to push him out of ODM leadership,” Aladwa had warned.

Yesterday, Aladwa said they have decide to go slow as they watch the unfolding.

“We are still monitoring things. It is just good to be cautious on some of these things,” Aladwa said.

Senate Minority Leader Stewart Madzayo (Kilifi) was categorical that Raila’s foot soldiers do not really know what Ruto and Raila agreed on.

“It is only the two of them who know what they agreed on. What was signed at KICC is nothing. That was just to play to the gallery. I don’t know and none of us knows what those two really agreed on,” said Madzayo.

Madzayo, while faulting the rapprochement said some of the items in the MoU have not been implemented and the lack of a specific institution charged with the responsibility of implementing the MoU.

“When you sign a memorandum that the victims of police brutality should be compensated and you don’t assign that responsibility to a particular office, who will implement it?” posed Madzayo.

Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, one of the most vocal critics of the bromance told People Wikendi says some of the expectations by Raila’s allies have not been met, something he says has left them disappointed.

“Some of them expected instant rewards in terms of government contracts and favours and jobs for their relatives, which have not been forthcoming,” he said.

Machakos Deputy Governor Francis Mwangangi says either there is some misunderstanding between the two camps or some unfulfilled promises, or both. He also cites the issue of the public backlash when Raila joined the government and the growing hatred against Dr Ruto.

“ODM appears disenchanted after it realised the government is disinterested on implementing the nine-point agenda on the MoU. Raila has also noticed that he risks soiling his legacy by joining a government that appears to attract widespread hatred,” Mwangangi said.

The Machakos county deputy boss claims that the ODM team is making a tactical retreat in order to make amends with the influential Gen Zs who appear to have developed hatred towards the government.

State excesses

This is after the two leaders pledged to compensate victims of past protests where more than 60 lives have been lost with hundreds injured while other were abducted.

“The derogation of rights to peaceful assembly and protests remains one of the most shameful realities on the excesses of Kenya’s law and order responses since Independence,” the MoU reads in part.

Raila himself has been blowing hot and cold on some of the government excesses only choosing a few issues to condemn unlike before when he used to call out the government of the day.

While attending the Eid Baraza hosted by Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Sharrif, Raila charged that his Orange party did not enter into a pact to betray Kenyans but however went ahead to call out Ruto’s administration not to interfere with county government’s functions.

“We did not enter into this agreement to betray Kenyans. When the time comes, ODM will be on the ballot,” said Raila.

This was the first time the ODM leader was announcing that the party would field a presidential candidate in 2027 against President Ruto, with whom he has entered into a political pact.

The ODM chief has previously caused confusion by insisting that ODM is not in government but has only donated “experts” to the Kenya Kwanza administration to assist Ruto stabilise the government and economy.

On the other hand, some of his allies like Wanga, Junet Mohamed, John Mbadi and Kaluma have always insisted that they are in government and would support the president in 2027.

While throwing his weight behind county chiefs in their escalating battle with MPs and the national government over the control of road funding, Raila criticised the push by MPs to seize control of the Road Maintenance Levy Fund (RMLF).

Mouths full

“Why should MPs be constructing roads in their constituencies? Their work is to legislate not to supervise roads or handle funds meant for counties,” charged Raila in the presence of his blue-eyed boy, Junet Mohammed.

Pundits now argue that Raila’s allies who were excited and were loud are now ‘eating’, drawing from the famous say that ‘It is bad manners to talk while eating’.

Political analyst and advocate Dr Martin Oloo avers that some of the allies of Raila are now eating quietly and have no business making noise.

“They are now in government and must be eating. When you eat, you don’t talk. It is bad manners to talk while eating. Whatever they are eating, is being served on political tables,” said Oloo.

According to Dr Oloo, the MoU signed contained administrative actions which do not necessarily deal with constitutionalism.

“It was a political agreement. A meeting of minds between the two leaders and have nothing to do with their allies. Some of the issues in the MoU are purely administrative in nature like working with youth and stop abductions,” he argued.

Last month, ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna said that if the MoU between President Ruto and Raila is not respected, they will withdraw from the agreement, adding that he will oversight the government in ensuring that the MoU is followed as agreed.