Kipruto Kirwa: Raila has failed test to become second liberation hero

Former Agriculture Minister Kipruto Arap Kirwa has dismissed Raila Odinga’s recent press conference, saying the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader was reading a script that did not reflect his own voice.
Kirwa believes Raila was speaking on behalf of someone else, arguing that the message lacked the conviction and character that have long defined the opposition leader.
Speaking during a podcast on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, Kirwa expressed disappointment in what he described as a shift in Raila’s political identity. He stated that the Raila who addressed the nation was not the same leader known for his boldness and consistency as a second liberation icon.
“I strongly believe Raila was reading someone else’s script; that is not the Raila I knew,” Kirwa said.

According to Kirwa, the respect once accorded to Raila as a national statesman is slowly eroding, and his recent statements have cast doubt on his commitment to the causes he once championed.
“To say the least, that was below his character; it’s below the respect we have given him, below the fact that we have held him and exalted him to a position that he was almost becoming a mature. Now Raila has failed the test of becoming a hero of the second liberation,” Kirwa added.
Kirwa specifically took issue with Raila’s call for a national conclave, terming it unnecessary and dismissive of the Gen Z movement. He argued that instead of offering support to the youth demanding better governance, Raila appeared to undermine their efforts by proposing dialogue that does not resonate with their urgency.
Raila’s U-turn
In his view, Raila’s current actions suggest a significant departure from the principles he once stood for. Kirwa described the former prime minister as a pale shadow of his former self, warning that his legacy as a liberation hero risks being undone by what now appears to be alignment with forces seeking to silence genuine civic agitation.
“This is not the Raila that I knew; this is another Raila, or somebody is taking me through to Raila,” he added.