National Rainbow Coalition Kenya (Narc-Kenya) Party leader Martha Karua on Thursday revealed fresh details of Raila Odinga’s allies’ appointments into government.
Speaking at Kameme FM, Karua recounted how President William Ruto and Raila met in Mombasa in the presence of former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo before four Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) politicians were appointed to Ruto’s Cabinet.
“They met in Mombasa with Obasanjo. Ruto went there and Raila was joined with (Hassan) Joho, Junet (Mohammed), and Makau so there was not a principal present,” she stated.
Karua added that it was after the discussion held in Mombasa that Kenyans got wind of the impending appointments which were aimed to quell the public anger with the Kenya Kwanza Government.
She likened the appointments to the temporary relief of placing a pacifier in a child's mouth to stop them from yelling. “So after we came, it was just a ceremonial show. It’s like a child put a pacifier in the mouth to stop crying,” she averred adding that the country was angry.
Initially, Karua had told Raila she would not be partisan to any talks with President Ruto. “I had told him (Raila) the talks they want to have with Ruto, I’ll not take part in it,” she noted.
“When we told (Raila) to appoint Kioni to represent Mt Kenya, he did not choose him. Instead, he appointed (Kioni) to a technical committee which to me is like being placed in the back bench.”
Karua, who has been supporting Gen Z, went out in the streets demanding fundamental things like the cost of living going down and the unemployment issue addressed among other things. “We saw Gen Z come out and demonstrate against the Finance Bill 2024,” she added.
She asserted that she was not informed of the meeting by Raila, whom she is a co-principal with in the Azimio Coalition.
“Raila did not even invite me to join the government. He hid from me because he knew I would not accept,” she stated.
The party leader affirmed that she cannot, under any circumstances, join a government that has turned its back on its people who elected it.
“I cannot work with people who are destroying Kenya, people who are killing our children without committing any crimes, and a government that abducts its citizens,” she explained.
Following Raila's talks with President Ruto, Hassan Joho was appointed to the Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy & Maritime Affairs and his counterpart John Mbadi went to head the National Treasury. At the same time, ODM loyals, Wycliffe Oparanya was appointed Cabinet secretary to the Ministry of Co-operatives and Opiyo Wandayi settled in for Energy and Petroleum Ministry.
