Raila Odinga/CFM-FILE.
NAIROBI, Kenya Aug 18 – Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Raila Odinga has dismissed media reports that he has declared his presidential candidature in the 2022 elections.
Odinga faulted reports by the Sunday Nation that his political truce President Uhuru Kenyatta on March 9 last year was purely choreographed so that he can position himself as a presidential contender in the 2022 race.
While insisting that vying for the country’s top seat in 2022 is a non-issue, Odinga through his Spokesperson Dennis Onyango described the reports as “reckless and irresponsible and only meant to undermine efforts the county is making towards uniting Kenyans.”
“Odinga does not believe that three years into an election expected in 2022, who is running, who is ahead, who is behind, who is going to win, what are the odds and who will lose is the priority the press should force Kenyans to occupy themselves with,” his Spokesman said.
The African Union High Representative for Infrastructure insists that his priority, at the moment, is to ensure that the country is united and vices such as the runaway corruption are properly addressed.
“Such report undermines meticulous efforts to help the country address delicate issues facing it, like violent elections every five years, runaway corruption, troubles in the counties, reforms to education and endangered national values,” he said.
The newspaper was based on remarks he made on Saturday when he attended the burial of his aunt, Eva Donde, the mother of former MP Joe Donde in Siaya County he is reported to have alluded of planned ODM grassroots elections.
Odinga, who has remained mum on his political ambitions since forging a political truce with President Kenyatta has been on the receiving end with many especially allies of Deputy President William Ruto accusing him of hatching a plot to scuttle DP Ruto’s chances of ascending to power in 2022.
His (Odinga) dalliance with President Kenyatta has over the past year elicited mixed reactions often loaded with counter-accusations.
The impact of the handshake has since birthed an all-out debate on the possibility of the country heading towards a referendum, with Odinga rooting for a constitutional amendment pegged on the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) team recommendations as opposed to the Punguza Mizigo initiative sponsored by Thirdway Alliance Party leader Ekuru Aukot.
The BBI team which recently concluded collecting views from Kenyans after it was inaugurated following the handshake is expected to present its final report to President Kenyatta and Odinga at the end of September.
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