Jubilee Party Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni has challenged Opposition leader Raila Odinga’s assertions concerning the involvement of former President Uhuru Kenyatta in supporting a broad-based government led by President William Ruto.
Addressing the media on Wednesday, Kioni dismissed Odinga’s claims, suggesting that Odinga is attempting to tarnish Kenyatta’s reputation after making what he perceives as the unpopular decision to align with President Ruto.
Kioni highlighted a previous letter from Kenyatta, which expressed condolences for Kenyans killed during protests and encouraged elected leaders to heed the concerns of their constituents.
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According to Kioni, Kenyatta’s stance opposes the policies and actions of Ruto’s administration. He emphasized that Kenyatta believes in not joining a government that, in his view, perpetuates violence and neglects social support systems through corrupt practices and resource wastage.
Kioni firmly stated, "This is not a government to join but one that we should be working to remove as provided for in the Constitution."
Contradicting Odinga's claims that Kenyatta had reached out to urge him to engage with President Ruto for national unity, Kioni argued that Kenyatta’s political views do not align with Odinga’s remarks.
He criticized the Azimio leader for shifting blame onto others, implying that Odinga was aware of his missteps in cooperating with the Kenya Kwanza regime despite its waning popularity among the Kenyan populace.
Kioni further noted the importance of accountability, remarking, "Good relationships exist, but it is not good to drag other people's names through the mud. When you make wrong decisions, learn to live with them; don't try to blame others.
Highlighting his recent fallout with Odinga within the Azimio coalition, Kioni accused the former premier of frequently misleading the public to his advantage when embroiled in controversy.
He specifically mentioned the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) report, claiming that Odinga had concealed his dealings with the government from the rest of the Azimio team.