By THE DISPATCH DIGITAL REPORTER
Jubilee Party Secretary General, Jeremiah Kioni, has categorically refuted recent claims by Raila Odinga that former President Uhuru Kenyatta had advised him to engage with President William Ruto’s administration in an effort to “save Kenya.” Odinga, speaking at a funeral in Elgeyo Marakwet on Tuesday, asserted that Kenyatta had reached out to him at the height of the Gen Z protests, urging him to seek collaboration with Ruto to prevent the country from descending into chaos.
Kioni, however, dismissed Odinga’s narrative as an attempt to justify his increasingly unpopular alliance with Ruto. According to Kioni, while the deal may have temporarily stabilised the government, it has failed to address the root causes of the unrest, including rampant corruption, poor governance, high taxation, and widespread unemployment. Odinga has found himself in a difficult position, struggling to both deny and justify his agreement with Ruto. Initially, he distanced himself from any negotiations, but later he admitted to “donating” members of his party to support the government. This contradictory behaviour has only added to speculation that the agreement may have included personal incentives, possibly linked to Odinga’s bid for the African Union Commission (AUC) Chairmanship in February.
In a pointed exchange with an NTV journalist on Wednesday, Kioni firmly rejected the idea that Kenyatta would have endorsed any talks with Ruto. He insisted that Kenyatta’s position is clear: one cannot join a government that, in his view, is responsible for significant harm to the Kenyan people, including extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, and the dismantling of social support systems. “Uhuru Kenyatta’s position is that you cannot join a government causing so much havoc and suffering to Kenyans,” Kioni said. He further accused Odinga of misleading the public by claiming Kenyatta’s endorsement, which Kioni argued is entirely false and does not reflect Kenyatta’s beliefs or intentions.
Kioni also highlighted Odinga’s failure to keep his Azimio Party coalition informed about his dealings with Ruto and his bid for the AUC Chairmanship, facilitated by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo. “There was a good relationship between Kenyatta and Odinga, but it is not right for Odinga to drag Kenyatta’s name through the mud,” Kioni stated.
Kioni criticised Odinga’s indecisiveness, urging him to take a definitive stance in the political arena. “Decide! Decide!” Kioni exclaimed, calling on Odinga to make up his mind about his political alliances. He contrasted this with Kenyatta’s decision to hand over power at Kasarani Stadium, despite believing the elections were rigged. “Uhuru made his decision and chose to live with it. Raila should do the same and stop blaming others for his own poor choices,” Kioni added.
With Odinga now pursuing the AU position, Kioni asserted that Kalonzo Musyoka has effectively taken over his role within the Azimio coalition. He emphasised that in politics, there is no vacuum, and Musyoka’s leadership has filled the gap left by Odinga. Kioni also reaffirmed the opposition’s demand for President Ruto’s resignation, maintaining that the call for the entire government to step down remains valid.