By Anderson Ojwang
Kisumu Governor Prof Anyang Nyong’o, for the first time, came out of his political closet eleven months after the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga to reveal the deceased’s last wish.
Nyong’o, who has remained guarded over the infighting and eventual fallout in Raila’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), with the Linda Mwananchi of former Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino walking away to join the opposition.
While the Linda ground retained the identity of ODM and are currently crafting a pre-election coalition pact with President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
At a church in Kisumu attended by Ruto and leaders from the region, Nyong’o took to the podium and spoke in Dholuo to announce Raila’s last wish to Ruto.
Nyong’o made a biblical reference to Jesus’ last days and directive to his trusted disciples and what he expected of them.
“Ka Yesu ne wuok e piny ka odhi e polo ne en gi jopuonjre ne ariiyo mane ohero kabisa. (When Jesus, on his final days, was to return to heaven, he had his disciples whom he loved most.)
Petro kod johana. To ne oluongo gi ma owacho ni yani. Petro kod johana kua romba (They were Peter and John. He called and told them, take care of my flock),”* he said.
Nyong’o said in Raila’s last days before his death, he directed President Ruto to take care of his political flock.
“Ka ne Raila ae pinyni mikech nyasaye oluonge nikech odhi kuma bor ne onyiso rais mar this country Wiliam Samoei Ruto ndugu Samoe kwa romba. (Before Raila died because God had called him and he was going to a new world. He told President of the country William Samoei Ruto, take care of my flock,” he said.
Raila told Ruto to protect his flock, and that was the reason why Ruto found time to be in Kisumu and also to meet grassroots leaders.
“Kwa romba omiyo rais Ruto dene ok oyudo time ma obiro kaye kawuono nikech en gi yore mageny. (Take care of my flock. President Ruto came here despite his busy schedule.)
Kendo ne obiro e yo moro ma odhi romo kod leaders sani. Obiro nikech wach ma nyicha nyasauye ne omiye. Ndugu Ruto kwa romba. John I leave for you my (he came and he will meet with local leaders because God had spoken to him, so Ndugu Ruto, take care of my flock)”
Ruto
President Ruto committed to protect Raila’s legacy and the party, and that was the reason behind the formation of a broad-based government.
“As the president and a student of Raila Amolo Odinga, I want to reassure you that we will walk together, ODM and UDA are not competitors but are partners in the broad-based government,” he said.
Ruto said in honour of Raila, he will take responsibility to ensure his legacy lives on.
“In honour of my late brother Raila, I will make it my responsibility and business to ensure that his legacy, his party and what he believed in lives on as we work together to build a better Kenya,” he said.
Ruto said there was an agreement between Raila and himself that they would raise the bar of the political contest.
“Between me and Raila, we agreed that we were going to raise the bar of the contest on the political leadership in Kenya.
That it is not going to be any more about personalities but the people. When we agreed that we are moving together and I have come to Nyanza because like any other part of Kenya we are investing on matters of development,” he said.
Ruto told the residents of Nyanza not to be worried because he had their interest at heart.
“Do not be worried because he that you will negotiate with is not a stranger. He is former deputy leader of ODM.
I am very confident that the partnership that the late Raila Odinga gave us when he was alive. We are going to respect his wishes and work with his vision.
We are going to make sure his party ODM, vision will be a vision we will carry into the future,” he said.
Ruto met more than 10,000 grassroots leaders from Kisumu, Siaya, Homa Bay and Migori counties at the Kenya Shipyards in Kisumu City.
“We deliberated on the region’s development priorities and our national transformation agenda.
In honour of the late statesman Raila Odinga, we agreed to deepen cooperation between ODM and UDA,” he said.
He said the partnership was strong and enduring, anchored in the Broad-Based Government framework.
“Over the last four years, we have made remarkable progress in transforming our nation and delivered most of the promises we made to Kenyans in our 2022 manifesto.
We have stabilised and expanded the economy, reduced inflation, strengthened our foreign exchange reserves, revived stalled road projects and returned contractors to site,”** he said.
