Raila Odinga caged...

Kenya may be on the brink of a significant political realignment after the country’s two, once bitter rivals met yesterday and pledged to consult on their much-discussed 2027 possible coalition.

In a cordial appearance at State House Mombasa, President William Ruto and opposition leader Raila Odinga revealed they would announce their next move sooner rather than expected.

Raila’s trusted allies, including his elder brother Oburu Odinga, lawyer Paul Mwangi, Suna East MP Junet Mohamed, and Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho, were present at the meeting.

Lawyer Mwangi and Oburu have previously played significant roles in shaping Raila’s political strategies, including the 2018 rapprochement between former President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila.

Mwangi also played a key role as Raila’s legal advisor during the drafting of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report and its legal instruments, though the campaign was ultimately rejected by the courts. Mwangi’s presence at the meeting signals the importance of the meeting, particularly following Raila’s recent AUC campaign failure.

“I just want to say, watch this space...” Raila said.

Both Ruto and Raila spoke highly of each other, reflecting a growing political camaraderie. Raila, who spoke first, referred to the president as “my younger brother,” while thanking him for his wholehearted support during the campaign. Ruto, in turn, addressed Raila as “former prime minister.”

The two leaders affirmed their commitment to a broad-based government once the AUC chair election is concluded.

Recently, there has been increasing pressure for Raila to join President Ruto’s administration as prime minister following his loss in Addis Ababa.

Supporters from both Kenya Kwanza and ODM, including Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, Belgut MP Nelson Koech, and Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma, have been vocal in advocating for a Ruto-Raila 2027 pact and the inclusion of Raila in Ruto’s government.

However, ODM hardliners, such as Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong’o, Siaya Governor James Orengo, and ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna, oppose a Ruto-Raila alliance.

The meeting between Ruto and Raila comes amid speculation about a potential Cabinet reshuffle and the recent shortlist of Principal Secretaries.

Following the lengthy meeting at State House Mombasa, both leaders praised each other for how they handled the AUC election, claiming it helped unite Africa.

The meeting was held to thank the team that campaigned for Raila and to bring the AUC bid matter to a close, allowing them to move forward.

President Ruto stated that he would consult widely across the political divide to ensure the unity and progress of the country.

“As the prime minister has said, there will be wide consultations across the political divide as we work towards the unity of our country and progress of Kenya,” Ruto said.

He added that yesterday’s meeting was intended to unite the country and focus on collective efforts.

“As an administration that is broad-based, there is reason for us to accelerate the momentum of things that will transform our nation,” Ruto said.

Ruto stressed the importance of collective effort in continuing to develop policies and programmes as a broad-based administration.

Earlier, Raila said he would consult with friends and supporters and make a major political decision in due course, thanking President Ruto and his team for their full support during his AUC chairmanship campaign.

“I am going to widely consult my friends and supporters and I will make an announcement in due course on the way forward,” Raila stated.

Raila also expressed his gratitude to Ruto and Kenyans who supported him throughout the campaign, saying he would remain available to help both the African continent and Kenya.

“I will be available to help the African continent and, more importantly, I will be available to help Kenya. I thank Kenyans who supported me throughout the campaign,” Raila said.

Raila is likely to face significant pressure within ODM, as there are differing opinions among his close allies about whether they should support President Ruto for his second term or pursue their own path.

ODM chairperson Gladys Wanga is among those in the party who have backed Ruto’s 2027 candidacy, but Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna has joined acting ODM leader Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o, advocating for the party to seek the presidency in the next general election.

Yesterday, Raila said he was grateful for the decision to run for the AUC election, and acknowledged that President Ruto and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs staff had been available 24/7 to facilitate his campaign across Africa.

He, however, dismissed reports that the government had spent Sh13 billion on the bid, clarifying that the money spent was solely for transport, meals, and accommodation, with some generous African countries offering free accommodation to him and his campaign team.

He also mentioned that he could have halted the AUC election during the voting process to prevent his main competitor, Mahmoud Yusouf of Djibouti, from securing the necessary two-thirds majority to win the poll. “I thank the countries that voted for me. If we continued, we would have completely stopped the election because he could not have attained the two-thirds required to win. Those who did not vote for us exercised their democratic right,” Raila said.

In attendance were Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and Majority Leader Kimani Ichungwa.

President Ruto said that Kenya made the necessary decision to avoid prolonging the AUC vote process, which could have led to a stalemate and denied an early victory to the candidate ahead of the others.

He stated that the countries that eventually voted for the Djibouti candidate made a patriotic decision to ensure Africa remained united in its pursuit of trade and development.

“I thank my brothers and colleagues across the African continent for their solidarity and support for Raila Odinga,” Ruto said.

Ruto added that Raila’s candidature was not just about him, but about Kenya, and that Raila had represented the country “very well” at the continental level.

He praised Raila for being present and active throughout the campaign, winning support from across the political spectrum in Kenya.

“Raila was a fantastic candidate. He was always present and available and did what was supposed to be done. His candidature won support from all political sides. Kenyans united behind Raila’s candidature,” Ruto said.

President Ruto, who is currently on a tour of the Coast, announced that he would sign a major investment agreement with Exim Bank this week to unlock the industrial potential of the Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Mombasa County.

He said the president of the bank would be in Mombasa on Friday to finalise the deal, which would unlock significant investment near the port of Mombasa.