How Ruto is Using Matiang'i Drama to Tame Raila – Experts

The Azimio party leader Raila Odinga has recently been handling a flurry of activities, from defending former President Uhuru Kenyatta, and his Interior Cabinet Secretary, Fred Matiangi, to organising demonstrations. 

He also whipped his ODM party in order, ejecting rebel lawmakers from house leadership positions and protecting the Jubilee party from President William Ruto’s invasion. 

Since January 2023, Odinga has been facing tribulations on all fronts to puncture his momentum and onslaught against the Ruto-led regime.

As the saying goes, in politics, nothing happens by accident. Odinga’s troubles are reportedly orchestrated, as opined by political analysts. 

Former Interior CS Fred Matiang’i and ODM leader Raila Odinga at a fundraiser in Mwongori High School in Kisii County on October 22, 2021.

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Fred Matiang’i

Political and governance expert, Javas Bigambo, argues that Odinga is a man on a mission to scale up his political visibility after election deniability.

“Odinga is afraid of losing his political base as this might have been his last stab at the Presidency.

“He is incessantly active to demonstrate to his financiers and supporters that he is up to the task and will put up a fight against his election loss,” Bigambo told Kenyans.co.ke. 

Additionally, Bigambo affirmed that the abrasive nature of the Nyanza MPs openly defying him indicated signs of behind-the-scenes lobbying from the State.

“The nine parliamentarians are warming up to the government and openly showing support even after Odinga’s warning are dangerous signs. 

“Splitting of Jubilee into two factions also exposed his leadership grasp in the coalition, 

The de-whipping of Jubilee MPs has kept him busy and disorganised his coalition. He is faced with battles in ODM, Jubilee and Azimio, a situation that keeps him disappointed and politically embattled,” he added.

Bigambo added that the defiant MPs had nothing to lose as the only time they would lose their seats was in 2027.

“Raila has neither political nor financial capacity to entice these legislators. They have nothing to lose,” he opined.

Bigambo concluded that nothing happens by chance in politics and that everything is created and the creators are well within government – power brokers. 

President Ruto’s regime recently placed Matiang’i on their radar with spontaneous raids at his Karen home in Nairobi.

On Wednesday, February 15, a contingent of police officers broke into the house of former CS Matiang’i’s home, looking for CCTV footage on the alleged home raid.

DCI Mohamed Amin had claimed that they obtained a search order to obtain CCTV recordings from the home of Matiang’i to establish the facts surrounding the earlier alleged raid.

Raila would once again visit Matiang’is residence, questioning why somebody who had been in charge of the Internal Security in a country, six months ago be seen as a criminal who should be prosecuted.

The back and forth between the government and the opposition seems not to end anytime soon, with Raila announcing further consultative forums in Kisii County, Mombasa and Kisumu counties and the final culmination of interdenominational prayers at the Jevanjee Gardens in Nairobi.

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga addressing the media after meeting Azimio Senators in Nairobi on February 15, 2023.

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Raila Odinga