Africa -China Review Africa -China Cooperation and Transformation
Published: March 18,2022
By Davis Ayega
Raila Odinga, leader of the opposition Orange Democratic Movement (file photo).
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party Leader Raila Odinga has disclosed that President UhuruKenyatta will be his “advisor” if he forms the next administration.
While President Kenyatta is preparing to exit the stage after the August polls – in three months’ time – Odingasays he will be seeking him out regularly for advice on the day-to-day running operations of government.
“I will be seeking his advice just like he has been consulting me on different national matters during his second term in government,” Odinga said during an interview with BBC’s Sophies Ikenye on Tuesday.
The former Prime Minister revealed that other options for the Head of State would be for him “to do business or be a foreign diplomat serving in the African Union”.
“There are many things the President can do when he leaves office,” he said.
President Kenyatta on Saturday endorsed his former arch-rival for the country’s top job, weeks after their parties joined forces ahead of the August General Election.
The Head of State has been accused by his critics of hiding behind Odinga’s shadow to rule the country for a third term claims however, which he has denied.
Deputy President William Ruto and his allies believe that Odinga will be a ‘puppet President’ with President Kenyatta left to rule the country using the backdoor.
In 2018, President Kenyatta and Odinga stunned the country when they shook hands and declared a truce after post-election violence in 2017 left dozens of people dead.
In February, President Kenyatta’s Jubilee party announced that it would join the Azimio la Umojacoalition headed by Odinga.
On Saturday last week, President Kenyatta declared his backing for the veteran opposition leader, saying: “We don’t have any doubt that we have a team captain in Raila Amolo Odinga.”
Odinga, responded, saying he accepted “the nomination with absolute gratitude and dedication to our people.”
The announcement came after Kenyatta’s anointed successor Ruto, who also intends to contest the presidential election, was sacked from Jubilee.
Ruto was initially anointed by Kenyatta as his successor but found himself marginalized after the 2018 pact between the president and his former foe.
Odinga and Kenyatta have unsuccessfully tried to introduce sweeping constitutional changes, claiming that the reforms would help to end repeated cycles of election violence.
The reforms — popularly known as the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI)- proposed expanding the executive and parliament to more evenly divide the spoils of victory.
But it was seen by critics as a way to enable Kenyatta — a two-term president who cannot run for a third — to remain in power by establishing the post of prime minister.
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