Listen to This Article Enhance your reading experience by listening to this article. President William Ruto has clarified that there is no formal coalition agreement between his government and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). This statement came in response, Sunday, July 28, 2024, to a journalist’s question about whether including ODM members as cabinet secretaries was intended to weaken the opposition.

Ruto echoes Raila

President Ruto, echoing Raila Odinga’s stance, insisted that they had not formed a coalition government.

“Let me clarify, like the party leader of ODM did, that we did not form a coalition government. So that nobody should tell us we are trying to compromise the opposition. We have no formal coalition arrangement; what we have is running an administration on matters that we have agreed on,” he explained. Ruto emphasised that ODM’s decision to work with the government was aimed at prioritising the national interest and addressing crucial issues. “Members of ODM have agreed to work with us so that we can put the country first and deal with challenges, whether it is the housing plan, UHC, and other matters that are important to the people of Kenya,” he stated. The President further noted his indifference to who takes credit for governmental achievements, stressing his focus on Kenya’s transformation.

Ruto on credit

“I am not keen on who takes credit; I am keen on the transformation of Kenya,” Ruto concluded.

In his new cabinet, President Ruto has nominated four ODM members to key positions, including John Mbadi (National Treasury), Wycliffe Oparanya (Cooperatives and MSME Development), Opiyo Wandayi (Energy and Petroleum), and Hassan Joho (Mining and Blue Economy). For these and more credible stories, join our revamped Telegram and WhatsApp channels. Telegram: https://t.me/peopledailydigital WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va698juDOQIToHyu1p2z