ODM Clarifies Damning Media Reports

The Orange Democratic Movement has castigated the media over what the party claimed was a consistent airing of anti-BBI sentiments.

In a statement released by ODM Director of Communications Philip Etale on Tuesday, January 21, the party laid bare its concerns that the media had been confusing Kenyans.

"For the past few days, the media has been awash with regurgitated talking points and propaganda of the main opponents of the handshake and the BBI, in particular, the false narrative that the party and its leader are using the BBI to achieve their 2022 ends," the statement read.

The story from the Daily Nation on Tuesday, January 21.

The party sought to set the record straight,  insisting that the BBI report was not geared towards the 2022 elections, but had been created to foster unity.

"It is in public knowledge that Hon. Odinga and H.E. President Uhuru Kenyatta came together on March 9, 2018, to restore sanity and order in a nation that was threatened by sharp divisions both politically and socially.

"The social fabric of the nation had been eroded and people were talking ‘at’ each other and not ‘to’ each other," the statement explained the essence of the BBI.

The party also maintained that Odinga had not expressed any interest to run for any political seats as had been portrayed by the media in the recent past.

"ODM is a bold party that does not need to hide behind any facade to advance its causes. When the whistle is sounded we shall come out to boldly state our plan for the nation for purposes of the 2022 election. We, therefore, urge the media to desist from enabling the diversionary antics of the detractors of a united Kenya," the o[pposition party advised. 

On Tuesday, January 21, the Daily Nation ran a headline, that Raila was using BBI rallies to clear the way for the 2022 elections.

The same sentiments were echoed by The Standard which indicated that the initiative was a secret plot for President Kenyatta to sack Deputy President William Ruto.

The headline from the Standard newspaper on January 21, 2020.

The party insisted that such headlines were ploys by media houses to run hidden agendas being advanced by individuals opposed to the progress made by the BBI report.