Raila Thirsty for Power – PLO, Ahmednasir Say

On Friday, May 26th, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga made remarks about dividing Kenya into two parts, a submission that has since attracted strong criticism from his opponents who are advocating for Mr Odinga to embrace unity. 

On Saturday, Professor Patrick Loch Otieno (PLO) Lumumba denounced the Azimio la Umoja coalition leader, claiming that his call for secession was tethered on a desire for power. Constitutional lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi agreed with PLO Lumumba that Raila’s statement was an attempt to seize power.

“Cut part of Kenya’s territory for me and make me President, Hon Raila pleads with UN,” commented Abdullahi. 

Saitabao Ole Kanchory, Raila’s main representative during the August 2022 General Election, disregarded the calls for secession. Raila and his allies gave President William Ruto one week to refute his deputy’s opinion of Kenya having proprietors or else they would strive for autonomy. When speaking at a joint media conference on Sunday, May 14, President William Ruto declined to dismiss DP Rigathi Gachagua’s comments. Instead, he requested that journalists contact the DP for more information.

In February 2023, Gachagua announced that those who had been loyal to the government would be given preferential treatment when it came to hiring and awarding contracts, which caused a stir. Judging by his statement, many raised concerns about tribalism, nepotism, and corruption within Ruto’s administration. 

This is not the first time Raila had made an appeal for separation in a bid to get the government to take responsibility and recognize his demands; back in October 2017, he lauded the move to split Kenya into two, citing retired President Uhuru Kenyatta’s poor management of the country.