President William Ruto has said the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party will no longer be in the opposition in 2027.
Speaking during the Thanksgiving ceremony of the cabinet secretary for Energy and Petroleum Opiyo Wandayi in Ugunja-Siaya County, Ruto said his friendship with Raila dates back to the formative years of ODM.
“Hiyo uongozi wa upinzani, baada ya miaka mitatu, hiyo kiongozi ya upinzani tutatafutia watu wengine kwa sababu sisi wote tutakuwa tuko upande wa serikali,” Ruto said.
Loosely translated to: “The ODM party will no longer be in opposition because, after three years, we shall unite to form the government. The leader of the opposition will be some other person.”
During his address, Ruto equally heaped praise on ODM leader Raila Odinga, saying he was a man with the heart of the nation.
“Raila Odinga knows what is good for Kenya,” Ruto added, stating that his decision to reach out and work with him came at a time when the nation required stability.
The remark came at a time when the deputy president is engaged in consolidating support in the Mount Kenya region.
While Gachagua has maintained that he is the kingpin of the region in public meetings, his sentiments have placed him at loggerheads with other ranking leaders of central Kenya.
During the Thanksgiving ceremony in Ugunja, the leader of the majority in the national assembly Kimani Ichung’wah seemed to chide Gachagua who was also present at the venue.
“Mtu akifikiria atawekea baba mitego atajitega mwenyewe(Anyone who thinks they can lay traps for Raila Odinga will only trap himself),” Ichung’wah said.
Gachagua who coined the word (mitego) back in 2022, had indicated that he would ensure Raila never gets access to the State House for an arrangement to join government.
In 2023, the deputy president urged Ruto to leave Raila to him, stating that he had joined the government through the backdoor during the Moi, Kibaki and Uhuru administrations.
“One of my duties is to defend the president…Mr. President, please allow me to deal with that man (Raila)…I am the real Mau Mau for him,” Gachagua said on January 22, 2023.
Broad-based government
While Raila and Ruto have maintained they have not entered into any formal agreement to work together, other sections of the Azimio la Umoja coalition believe that he has ceased to be the opposition leader.
Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has since declared himself the substantive leader of the opposition- a position that has had the endorsement of Jubilee party secretary-general Jeremiah Kioni and the Democratic Party of Kenya leader Eugene Wamalwa.
