ODM leader and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has defended his party’s collaboration with President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA), asserting that the partnership averted national collapse in the wake of the 2024 protests.
Speaking during an ODM Parliamentary Group meeting ahead of the party’s 20th anniversary celebrations, Odinga remarked that Kenya was on the brink of chaos when ODM and UDA decided to unite to “steady the ship.”
“About a year ago, we got together with UDA to help steady the ship of the Kenyan nation that had been hit by extreme turbulence and faced the reality of collapse,” Odinga stated.
He recalled that during the June 2024 protests, the situation had reached a perilous tipping point.
“The military were on the streets. They were fairly civil to wananchi at that time, but that was because they had not been given instructions. Once they are given instructions, they execute — and we were almost there,” he noted.
Odinga stressed that ODM’s decision was driven by the need to protect the country above partisan interests.
“We said it’s better to have a country that is civil, where leadership can be installed through the ballot rather than through the bullet. That’s the reason why we did what we did — close ranks with UDA,” he explained.
According to Odinga, the cooperation between the two parties has yielded positive results.
“So far, a core agenda of our coming together has been achieved. We have a stable and peaceful country. We beat back the chaos and created an environment in which we can agree to disagree without staring at collapse,” he stated.
He reaffirmed that ODM will always prioritize the nation.
“Whatever misgivings or differences we have as parties or leaders, we must have a country first. Only then can we set about discussing how to perfect the nation’s imperfections and who is to lead the nation,” Odinga said, adding that compromise for the sake of national stability has always been a fundamental aspect of ODM’s philosophy.
The ODM leader also reflected on Kenya’s political history, noting that significant progress often follows when leaders come together. He urged politicians to concentrate on their responsibilities rather than being swayed by populist sentiments.
“We are in a better position today than we were at this time in 2024 or 2023,” he said
