Raila terms Mudavadi, Wetang’ula betrayers

Orange party leader Raila Odinga yesterday downplayed the walkout by Amani National Congress leader Mudavadi and his Ford Kenya counterpart Moses Wetang’ula, from the One Kenya Alliance (OKA), saying their move is inconsequential.

Raila at the same time announced that his Azimio La Umoja Movement would be be registered next week to dwarf Deputy President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance and their new found allies with Amani National Congress and Ford Kenya.

Raila’s announcement of the mega coalition comes barely hours after President Uhuru Kenyatta signed into law the Political Parties Amendment Bill 2021.

This now paves way for political parties to enter into a coalition and for individual members to be elected under the name of a coalition.

 “If you look at them and where they have gone, there is a common denominator. If you want to go just go. We do not want to talk about others; we are a national outfit formed to bring all Kenyans together. We will walk with other Kenyans,” said Raila.

The former Premier said that contrary to Mudavadi and Wetangula’s sentiments that they were betrayed in the National Super Alliance and in the One Kenya Alliance,  they are the biggest betrayers.

“You can claim to have been betrayed yet you are the biggest betrayers in this country. We are forging ahead and not looking back,” said Raila.

The ODM boss charged that the country will not be on sale and cannot be sold to the highest bidder.

Common denominator

“Kenya is not for sale and cannot be bought by money stolen from the people of Kenya. Birds of the same together flock together,” said Raila.

Raila spoke when he received Senate Deputy Speaker Margaret Kamar, former Cabinet minister Sally Kosgey, Gender Chief Administrative Secretary Jebii Kilimo and former Assistant minister Stephen Tarus to his camp. 

Raila said under Azimio, the Kenyan spirit is going to take country through the third liberation, which is economic.

“Azimio is going to be registered next week and we will start moving straight away. There are many big things that will happen,” he charged.

He went on: “Big things coming soon. The country will shake. We are not concerned with those people. Kenya cannot be led by thieves.” He also welcomed Members of County Assembly, who had defected from ANC and Ford Kenya. 

Raila further said that under his administration, he would ensure that there is enough food for all.

The more than 15 MCAs, while defecting, told Raila that selling UDA and his newly found allies in Western region is herculean task that has informed their resolve to join ODM.

He also trashed Mudavadi’s stinging attacks on President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration on the growing public debt that is currently about Sh9 trillion, saying that all over the world, countries have debts.

Veiled response

He said his administration would clear all debts and borrow others for development, saying countries borrow and pay.

“We have our agenda as a people, when we join government we will clear all the debts and borrow more. Even the United States of America has debts. Everyone has a debt somewhere. It is not abnormal to have debts,” he said in a thinly veiled response to Mudavadi.

The ODM boss said during his reign as the Prime Minster with retired President Mwai Kibaki, they formulated the Vision 2030, which has not been implemented fully, adding that should his Azimio la Umoja coalition gets the State House nod, he will fill the gaps and address challenges hindering the implementation.

“Some people forget very fast, some do not hear. During the Grand Coalition Government, we formulated Vision 2030 with retired President Kibaki. We know where things did not go well. We  will implement the vision,” said Raila.  

His allies, Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya and his Mombasa counterpart Hassan Joho told their opponents to sell their agenda and stop insulting Raila.

Oparanya said the exit of Mudavadi and Wetang’ula has now opened a full room for Raila.

“These two gentlemen have been in business to enrich themselves for a long time. As soon as they got the political parties fund cash from Raila, they left,” claimed Oparanya.

While rallying those who defected to ODM to sell the Azimio policies to the electorate at the grassroot level, Oparanya maintained that Raila is the father of multiparty democracy and devolution.

Joho said under team Azimio, the team is strong enough to take on their opponents in mobilising and selling their policies ahead of the August 9 polls.

“We in ODM and our partners in Azimio, we have enough foot soldiers to take on our opponents. We are telling them to sell their policies. Raila cannot be a policy or an agenda,” said Joho.

Other leaders present were Junet Mohamed (Suna East), Caleb Amisi (Saboti), Ong’ondo Were (Kasipul), Godfrey Osotsi (Nominated) and ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna.