Kalonzo Persuaded Me to Support Ruto’s Dialogue Call at KICC – Raila

In a hurry? Here’s a quick summary…

• Raila Odinga revealed he was urged to attend the KICC event where President Ruto announced a national dialogue forum after the IEBC amendment.
• Following the announcement, Odinga faced backlash on social media, with many young Kenyans questioning his representation and credibility.

Azimio la Umoja Coalition leader Raila Odinga has shared insights about the events leading up to his appearance at the KICC, where President William Ruto announced a six-day multi-sectoral national dialogue forum after signing the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2024. 

Speaking in Butere on Saturday, Raila revealed that representatives from the ruling Kenya Kwanza government had contacted him beforehand, informing him of President Ruto’s intention to present the National Dialogue Committee report and specifically requesting his attendance as the ODM chief.

Initially hesitant to attend, Raila called Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka to ask him to represent him, but Kalonzo urged him to be present. 

“They sent me a message saying that the IEBC report passed by Parliament would be presented by Ruto and they wanted me, as co-principal, to be there. They said it would be at State House, and I said I wouldn’t go there; let it be elsewhere. When they said KICC, I agreed,” Raila recounted.

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Before heading to KICC, Raila convened with Azimio leaders to discuss the state of the nation following the finance bill and recent anti-government protests. 

He emphasized that their discussions did not include any mention of a handshake with President Ruto, instead focusing on the need for a people’s dialogue. 

“We talked about the current situation in Kenya; we’re in a bad place… things cannot continue like this. We said we need a coalition of the people, not a dialogue with Ruto… it was a people’s dialogue,” he stated.

However, following the KICC session, Raila faced significant backlash on social media, particularly on X, as many young Kenyans questioned his capacity to represent them in the dialogue. Some distanced themselves from being represented by political figures, including Odinga’s own son, who publicly noted that “everybody is an individual.” 

The ridicule escalated, with many insisting that any previous dialogues between Odinga and the government had failed, asserting that he could not represent the youth.

In a further twist, Odinga’s private information, including his mobile phone numbers, was circulated online, following a trend where individuals acting against the demands of younger generations are targeted. 

Photoshopped images of Odinga in a UDA t-shirt also circulated widely, amplifying the criticism he faced at the time.