The government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has addressed reports that ODM party leader Raila Odinga had landed state roles.
Early this week, media reports intimated that after the unity deal between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Odinga in March, the opposition leader had been allocated state duties.
Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Monica Juma on Thursday addressed the concerns when she spoke to the press in her ‘State of Our Diplomacy’ briefing.
Upon outlining the ministry’s agenda for the State, the CS could not escape inquests on the prominent trips made by Mr Odinga who has been labeled a ‘senior state officer’.
The CS stated that it was not any strange for Mr Odinga to be accorded respect by Kenyan embassies, accusing the media of misinterpreting the gesture.
[caption caption="Foreign Affairs CS in her address on 'the state of our diplomacy' in Nairobi (PHOTO/Twitter)"]
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She noted that Mr Odinga, just like anyone else including herself, can deliver the president’s message and as such the suspicions were uncalled for.
“People are reading this on their own scripts but this is a former Prime Minister and he is accorded the courtesies he deserves, so there is nothing unusual since the stature of former Prime Minister is guaranteed,” stated CS Juma.
The reports were informed by suspicions backed by courtesies extended to Mr Odinga.
He has, since the handshake, made several foreign trips and delivered Kenya’s message to heads of state on behalf of President Kenyatta.
Mr Odinga earlier traveled to South Africa where he attended Winnie Mandela’s burial and represented President Kenyatta.
He has also been at the center of efforts to strike a peace deal between waring South Sudan leaders.
In the most recent trip to India, Raila met Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The leaders discussed pillars of President Kenyatta’s ‘Big Four’ agenda sending more shivers within factions in the ruling Jubilee party.
[caption caption="Raila Odinga, Mama Ida Odinga meet India PM Narendra Modi (PHOTO/Twitter)"]
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During the address, the CS noted that Kenya has to preserve its ability to make independent decisions based on the country’s own national interests.
She held that it is not desired that the country is caught up in proxy battles.
