Retired President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday hit back at his successor, President William Ruto, over the late Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s ODM party and claims that the Jubilee leader was out to “buy” the Orange party.
Mr Kenyatta also questioned what he described as a plan by the ruling Kenya Kwanza government to muzzle the multiparty democracy space and “kill” political parties.
The former president maintained that he would fight for his political space despite having retired, and cautioned against the folding of political parties to form coalitions, noting that this was against the spirit of multiparty politics.
“I am retired, but that does not mean you can come and poke me in the eye. We have no fear of keeping quiet, but respect us. We support a vibrant democracy and the will of the people. We are supporters of multiparty democracy and are building ours. Now, some are telling us we want to steal from other parties. This is a case of someone who has failed to convince those he seeks to work with and is now looking at us for scapegoats,” said Mr Kenyatta during the burial of former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo on Tuesday, December 30.
Mr Kenyatta was speaking days after ODM leaders, in two rallies attended by President Ruto in Homa Bay on Sunday and Migori on Saturday, accused him of plotting to “buy” the Orange party, now led by Mr Odinga’s elder brother, Dr Oburu Oginga. The faction is seen as keen on steering the party towards President Ruto ahead of the 2027 General Election.
ODM chairperson Gladys Wanga and the National Assembly Minority Leader, speaking at the two events attended by Dr Ruto, fingered Mr Kenyatta over what they said were night meetings to plot ODM’s exit from the broad-based government deal inked by Dr Ruto and Mr Odinga in March 2025.
In his speech, Mr Kenyatta said he was ready to hit back at his political detractors if pushed to the wall.
“I respect other parties and I also deserve similar treatment,” added the former president, who eulogised Mr Jirongo as a nationalist with the potential to become one of the country’s presidents.
In what appeared to be a reference to the emerging political partnership between Kenya Kwanza and ODM, Mr Kenyatta cautioned against the folding of political parties, arguing that it waters down the spirit of multiparty democracy as enshrined in the Constitution.
“We must not kill the spirit of multiparty democracy, but instead cherish a vibrant system that will steer our country forward,” said Mr Kenyatta.
In response, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi rejected Mr Kenyatta’s claims of a shrinking multiparty space.
“There is no fear of political parties folding to form a coalition. Azimio was a coalition, similar to Kenya Kwanza, and this partnership is now the future of our politics, which will bring unity across the country,” said Mr Mudavadi.
Earlier, ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna, who attended Mr Jirongo’s burial, addressed the claims, brushing aside accusations that he was leading a Kenyatta–ODM deal plot.
“Forget about those who say anyone wants to sell ODM. Have you seen me singing on podiums with Uhuru the way some have been with Ruto? No. We have no political debt with Ruto, and all we are asking is that the MOU the President signed with the late Raila Odinga be honoured,” said Mr Sifuna, dismissing claims that ODM would enter into a deal with the Kenya Kwanza administration.
“ODM is not personal property, and any move must be sanctioned by the National Delegates’ Convention,” he added, saying he was in the party to stay.
Siaya Governor James Orengo said political parties were “being swallowed one by one”, a trend he described as dangerous to the country’s democracy.
“Political parties are being swallowed. ANC will be next, then Ford-K and ODM. We will not allow ODM to be swallowed,” said Mr Orengo.
Vihiga Senator and ODM deputy party leader Godfrey Osotsi said they had invested heavily in the party and would not allow it to be swallowed.
