President William Ruto has justified his choice to reconcile with former political adversary and leader of Azimio la Umoja, Raila Odinga. Ruto, who has now included members of Raila’s ODM party in his Cabinet, believes that collaborating with the former Prime Minister’s party will enable him to fulfill his commitments to the Kenyan people.
“Hii serikali nimeunda, Baba (Raila Odinga) amenisaidia, akasema Waheshimiwa John Mbadi, Opiyo Wandayi, Hassan Joho na Wycliffe Oparanya waje wanisaidie kuskuma kazi,” he said
Having previously worked with Raila in ODM, including campaigning for his Presidential bid in 2007, Ruto, who is currently on a tour of the Nyanza region, insists that his decision to work with Raila Odinga is justified for the betterment of the country.
“Mimi wakati mmoja nilimsaidia baba (Raila Odinga). Yeye akija kunisaidia kwani kuna makosa?,” he said
He said he remains open to working with all leaders in order to take Kenya forward.
“I am asking you to join me in uniting Kenya because what unites us is greater than what divides us. I want to ask you with humility that we unite as one people in one nation with a common destiny so that we can take Kenya to the next level,” he said
The head of state promised the people of Nyanza, a region that has strongly supported Odinga, that he would devote his best efforts to ensure that the former Prime Minister secures the African Union Commission chairmanship.
Ruto has already rallied the East Africa Community in support of Odinga’s bid. The regional heads of state were in Nairobi on Monday for a vibrant ceremony to officially launch Odinga’s campaign for the AUC post.
“Sisi kama Wakenya tumeungana na watu wa Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki, Kutoka Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, DRC, Somalia mpaka South Sudan. Sisi wote tumekubaliana ya kwamba baba (Raila Odinga) awe mwenyekiti na kiongozi wa bara la Afrika,”
“Sisi Wakenya wote, serikali ya Kenya nzima na wananchi ya Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki, tumeamua mheshimiwa Raila Odinga atakuwa koingozi wetu bara la Afrika. Mtuombee ili baba awe Chairman African Union Commission,” he said in Kisumu
Besides his past friendship with Raila, Ruto believes that the Former PM is the ideal candidate for the AUC post due to his experience and political ideologies.
“Mimi na baba (Raila Odinga) tumetoka mbali. Nimeamua kwamba nitamsaidia baba awe kiongozi wetu wa bara la Afrika kwa sababu yeye ni mzee wetu. Tunamheshimu, kwa sababu amechangia demokrasia ya Kenya na ni kiongozi ambaye anajulikana na ana heshima,” he said
