Talks on working with Raila began in 2023, Ichung'wah says

National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah has revealed that conversations with former Prime Minister Raila Odinga began about two years ago.

Ichung’wah recalled that their discussions on the state of the nation began in 2023, when the ODM leader was quietly hospitalised at the Nairobi Hospital at the height of the Unga Revolution protests.

During that period, Ichung’wah said they held lengthy conversations with Raila, acknowledging that although they differed politically, they shared a common goal of ensuring the country remained on the right path.

He dismissed claims that their cooperation under a broad-based government was aimed at impeaching former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, insisting that Raila was consistently committed to a peaceful and prosperous nation. “There was a time during that period when he (Raila) was unwell, though many may not have known it. He was admitted at Nairobi Hospital, and it happened that the doctor treating him was someone I knew,” Ichung’wah said in a televised interview on Inooro TV.

“One morning, the doctor called me and said he had a patient who wanted to speak to me, and it turned out to be Raila. We spoke deeply about the country, and I assured him I would ensure the message gets to the President,” Ichung’wah added.

The Majority leader also revealed that Raila had previously attempted to meet President William Ruto, but the meeting had not materialised.

Hospital meeting

While still in hospital, Raila told Ichung’wah that he was ready to meet the President, a sign of his patriotism and his constant desire to see Kenya thrive.“I told him I knew where the problem had arisen when they were to meet the President at Mt Kenya Safari Club in Nanyuki, but it did not happen. I left the house and went straight to State House, where the President said he was ready to meet Raila.

“Raila, however, asked me to give him a few days as he was expecting a guest, the former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, who would act as a witness at the meeting. They later met in Mombasa, marking the beginning of the National Dialogue Committee (Nadco),” Ichung’wah said.

He added that Raila constantly urged the government to remain focused and to ignore distractions that could derail its work.

“When we presented him with the Nadco report, we spent over an hour together as he explained the origins of projects such as affordable housing. We had been in touch for a long time, even before the elections, we used to engage casually because politics isn’t rivalry. After the elections, we continued our conversations, starting from the Unga Revolution protests,” he explained.

Ichung’wah said he was at State House when the President signed eight bills, after which he convened a meeting and announced the sad news of Raila’s passing.

“I knew he wasn’t feeling well. A day before I laid my father to rest, he called to say he was unwell and couldn’t attend the burial but would send a representative. He promised to visit later,” Ichung’wah said.

He described Raila’s death as a major blow to the country, revealing that he and President Ruto had been working on an ambitious national project aimed at transforming Kenya from a third-world to a first-world nation.

Raila, he said, had been concerned that Kenya, once a leading economic hub in the region, was being overtaken by other countries, and he believed urgent action was needed.

He also discussed his political relationship with Gachagua and the origins of their fallout.

Ichung’wah admitted that although he had not supported Gachagua’s nomination as running mate, there was no personal animosity; his focus had been on securing victory in the 2022 elections. He explained that Gachagua had got five votes from the Mt Kenya leaders who were present while the rest picked former Speaker Justin Muturi, Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru and the current Deputy President Kithure Kindiki. But Ruto was determined to have Gachagua as his running mate and persuaded the rest that he was the best choice for various reasons, including his age.

After Gachagua’s selection, Ichung’wah said some leaders sought an audience with Ruto to negotiate what they stood to gain if they won the elections. Together with eight others, they met Ruto and presented their proposals, including the ministries they wanted and signed it.

They had requested seven ministries and at least four Principal Secretaries, but before the formation of the broad-based government, they ended up with nine Cabinet Secretaries and over ten PSs, more than they had initially asked for.

“At some point, the President asked if I wanted to join the Cabinet, but I declined. After the elections, he called to offer me the Finance, Roads, or Interior docket, but I said I preferred to serve as Leader of Majority,” he recounted.

“Sometimes I hear Gachagua claiming he negotiated for the Mt Kenya region, but the truth is, he never once sat with Ruto to do so. We met on May 18 with the eight leaders I mentioned to negotiate for the region,” he added.