The Ministry of Defence on Monday, March 17, issued a strong statement criticising Daily Nation for an article claiming former Prime Minister Raila Odinga prevented a military coup against President William Ruto.
In its statement, the Ministry dismissed the report published in Sunday Nation titled "Raila: I Saved Ruto from Military Coup", alongside another article in Taifa Jumapili titled "Nilivyozima Mapinduzi Dhidi ya Ruto", as misleading.
"The Ministry of Defence notes with concern the inaccurate news article in yesterday's Sunday Nation," the statement read.
The articles in question cite an undisclosed source and suggest that Raila revealed in an exclusive interview that Kenya was on the verge of military rule were it not for his intervention.
While labelling the claims as "false, baseless, unfounded, misleading, and reckless," the Ministry further emphasised that the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) remained a professional and apolitical institution "that upholds the highest standards of integrity, discipline, and service to the nation."
"The KDF remains committed to its constitutional mandate and has no involvement in political affairs," the statement read in part.
The Ministry also accused Daily Nation of sensationalising matters of national security, urging the media house to uphold ethical journalism by ensuring accuracy, fairness, and responsibility in reporting.
In the alleged exclusive interview, Nation reported that Raila claimed the deployment of the military during the anti-Finance Bill protests in 2024 could have escalated into a situation where the military fully seized power.
"If the military had taken over, then Ruto would not be in power today. Once soldiers leave the barracks, they never go back," Raila allegedly told Nation, adding, "The country was on the brink. If the protests had continued the way they were, the military would have taken over, and that would have been the end of civilian rule."
The article also states that Raila refuted claims of betraying the Gen-Z, with the ODM leader asserting that his focus shifted to de-escalating tensions in the country, even if it meant engaging President Ruto, who was not very popular during the protests.
Notably, the article was published at a time when there were political uncertainties, with sections questioning Raila's game plan after signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the President earlier in March.
In one of Raila's latest public addresses, the former Prime Minister told off politicians urging him to take on Ruto in the 2027 polls.
Speaking during the burial of veteran retired Pilot Colonel James Nguyo Gitahi in Maanzoni, Machakos County, Raila insisted he was focused on the present, adding that ousting Ruto would do little to solve the fundamental issues biting Kenyans.
