Raila's One Condition Before Accepting Office of Opposition

Azimio Chief Raila Odinga listed his condition for accepting the Office of the Opposition as proposed by President William Ruto in a memorandum to the National Assembly and Senate Speakers.

In a statement dated Sunday. December 11, Odinga accused the president of doublespeak for introducing constitutional amendments that were in the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).

In particular, he reminded the president of his demands when he opposed the BBI, calling him out for the sudden u-turn.

Raila demanded that Ruto follow the correct procedure as stated in the Supreme Court ruling on the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).

A collage of President William Ruto and Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Kenyans.co.ke

“These demands, all stated personally by himself are that a president cannot initiate constitutional amendments, that all proposals for amendments of the Constitution must start with the people.

“…that the process of amendment must be people-driven and that the amendments must chiefly centre on the interests of the common mwananchi,” the statement read in part.

The former Prime Minister lashed out at the head of state for copying his political ideologies and running with them as his own.

Nonetheless, he did not oppose the proposed amendments stating that they were the very same issues he raised in the BBI. 

Affirming that he would challenge the memorandum, Raila noted that this formed part of the strategies aimed at providing oversight to the Kenya Kwanza government. 

“We will continue consultations with the leadership of Azimio, the legal team and the people of Kenya to agree on how to deal with this about-turn by Ruto,” Odinga wrote.

Ruto’s memorandum, the Azimio leader stated, would be added to the demands mooted during the Kamukunji declaration on December 7.

Among the matters the opposition needed the president to address include lowering the cost of living, reviving the Kazi Mtaani programme and calling his house to order.

Odinga left the country for the US on Friday, December 9, for high-level talks including discussions on promoting investment infrastructure and attaining Just Energy Transition.

Azimio Chief Raila Odinga interacts with a Kenyan at the Kamukunji Grounds for a consultative forum on Wednesday, December 7, 2022.

Raila Odinga