Murang'a Senator Joe Nyutu
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Murang'a Senator Joe Nyutu has voiced concerns over a potential power imbalance should Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga join President William Ruto's administration.
Nyutu suggests Odinga could wield more influence than Ruto, given the President's perceived reliance on the former Prime Minister. Senator Nyutu articulated his concerns in a recent Citizen TV interview, stating, "I have all the reasons to believe that Raila is about to be made co-president and I even dare say that should this arrangement come to pass, Raila will not just be a co-president but he will be more powerful than President Ruto in that particular arrangement."
He further argues that Ruto's perceived lack of alternative strategies has made him susceptible to Odinga's demands, especially considering the need to regain support from those who have shifted to the opposition. Odinga's potential alignment with the government remains uncertain. ODM Chairperson Gladys Wanga has indicated that Odinga is currently consulting with his supporters nationwide to determine his future course of action ahead of the 2027 elections.
"So far, ODM and Kenya Kwanza do not have any formal agreement or documentation defining our agreement so as soon as the party leader came back, he began consultations and the consultations are with his supporters to ask which direction he should take," Wanga says, emphasizing the lack of a formal agreement between ODM and the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition.
Despite maintaining cordial relations with the Kenya Kwanza government, Odinga has continued to publicly criticize President Ruto's policies. During a recent address in Mombasa, he called for compensation for victims of political protests dating back to 2023 and the Gen Z protests of the previous year.
"The youth who sustained injuries and parents of those who died in 2023 during the Azimio protests and the Gen Z protests of last year have to be compensated," Odinga asserted.