Homa Bay Governor and ODM national chairperson Gladys Wanga has dismissed claims by Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka that former Prime Minister Raila Odinga betrayed Kenyans by signing a deal with President William Ruto.
Wanga defended Raila’s decision, stating that the agreement between him and Ruto was made in the best interest of the country. She emphasized that the memorandum of understanding (MoU) was not driven by personal gains but by a desire to unite the nation and address pressing issues.
“Baba (Raila) did not enter into the deal to personally benefit from it. President Ruto equally did not decide to work with Baba to gain anything. That deal was for all Kenyans and not just the two leaders,” Wanga asserted.
She urged Kenyans to support the cooperation between the two leaders, arguing that unity and national development should take precedence over political disagreements. “Let us support Baba and Ruto in their efforts to unite the country. We should not leave anyone behind,” she said.
Wanga dismissed allegations that the agreement amounted to betrayal, questioning how unity and efforts to tackle national challenges could be interpreted as such. “I have seen some saying that the agreement is a betrayal. How can unity be betrayal? How can equity be betrayal? How can bringing Kenyans together be a betrayal? How can addressing youth unemployment be a betrayal?” she posed.
However, Kalonzo and Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) leader Eugene Wamalwa have criticized the deal, claiming it undermines the struggle of Kenyans who lost their lives during the 2023 and 2024 protests against the high cost of living and punitive taxation.
Kalonzo maintained that unless the discussions at the Kenya International Convention Centre (KICC) address compensation for victims of police brutality, the agreement would be nothing more than a betrayal of the Kenyan people.
“If there is no formula at KICC today showing how Kenyans are going to compensate their families and the loss of lives due to police brutality, then nothing will come out of KICC other than betrayal,” he argued.
Wamalwa added that the opposition remains committed to championing the rights of Kenyans, criticizing Raila for aligning with the government. “We chose to stand on the side of the Gen Zs, the people of Kenya,” he stated.
As the political debate rages on, Kenyans are left to weigh the implications of the deal and whether it signals progress or a compromise of the opposition’s core values.
