Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga received defectors from the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) on Wednesday, September 8, at Chungwa House.
Raila received more than 50 people who had defected from rival other parties, during the event chaired by ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna.
Some of the defectors were staunch supporters who campaigned for Jubilee candidate MacDonald Mariga in the Kibra by-election in 2019.
The defectors admitted that they had joined UDA due to some of the frustrations they had faced in ODM and urged the party's leadership to check on that.
Youth leaders who spoke at the event asked Odinga to facilitate communication and engage with young people and create an environment where they will also be change-makers in the community aided by ODM.
All speakers called for equal opportunities in the party and vowed to campaign for Odinga to win the 2022 General Election.
"What a moment of joy it was as Party Leader Raila Odinga received into the party returnees and defectors from other parties to be part of the journey to a better Kenya. The ODM party believes in Equity and Equitable distribution of Resources and just society for all," ODM announced in a statement.
The party leadership promised to address the issues raised by the defectors and rectify the challenges that the orange party had faced.
“We are happy to welcome defectors and returning party members back home to ODM. The ODM movement is steadily reloading day after day and all Kenyans from all walks of life are welcome at our table,” Raila stated.
Odinga also distanced himself from reports that he was behind the derailment of projects in the Jubilee administration.
He told the defectors that in his first term President Uhuru Kenyatta was a cornered man due to undercutting from his deputy William Ruto.
The ODM leader alluded that the handshake was the reason why President Kenyatta was able to deliver in his second term.
