Wednesday, April 5, 2023 – UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malala has faulted Azimio Leader Raila Odinga for accepting President William Ruto’s offer for a ceasefire and called off his weekly demonstrations.
According to Malala, Raila’s quick acceptance of Ruto’s offer exposed the true intentions of his two-week-long demonstrations against the government.
“When the President extended an olive branch to Raila, he quickly accepted when he heard we will engage in the reconstruction of the Independent Electoral Boundaries and Commission (IEBC).
“He forgot to raise the issues of cost of living, and other issues that were affecting Kenyans,” he claimed, despite Raila, in his statement advocating for the same. The cost of living, Raila underlined, was among the irreducible minimums.
However, the former Kakamega senator added that Raila’s proposals could be accommodated within a bipartisan committee that will carry our public participation.
Malala’s sentiments were supported by political analyst Abdullahi Alas who remarked that the former Prime Minister hastily accepted Ruto’s proposal.
“I think Raila said yes too quickly. He should have analysed what Ruto offered first.”
“Then he would have told the President that they would talk on the issues raised, but an interim committee will precede that to discuss the mechanics and modalities of instituting what to do,” Alas stated while speaking during an interview.
Alas argued that Raila’s change of heart, from a solely parliamentary approach to a discussion akin to the 2008 National Accord led by former United Nations secretary general, Kofi Annan, was after he realized he may have been played.
“Parliament is not where you go to do political rallies. It is where the Constitution and standing orders are going to be followed.”
“It has now dawned on Raila that he will not get a fair representation in parliament since Ruto has a majority. He wants now to take the discussion outside parliament where he can employ the services of James Orengo, Kalonzo Musyoka, Martha Karua, and other legal minds,” Alas opined about Raila’s change of heart.
Raila has rejected Ruto’s bipartisan engagement to be done in Parliament, saying his statement did not reflect the understanding between the parties negotiating a truce.
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