Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga will fly to the US after cancelling parallel Jamhuri day celebrations on Wednesday, December 8.
In a statement dated Friday, December 9, Raila will depart on Saturday night, December 10, to join other African leaders in Washington, DC.
His personal assistant, Dennis Onyango, confirmed to Kenyans.co.ke that the African Union High Representative for Infrastructure will be away for a week.
"Hon. Raila Odinga is set to leave the country late Saturday, December 10, 2022, for a one-week visit to the US," read the statement in parts.
The Azimio La Umoja party leader will attend the US-African Leaders Summit alongside other global leaders as an AU representative.
His tasks will include leading discussions on promoting investment infrastructure and attaining Just Energy Transition.
He will also conduct a series of meetings with leaders from the public and private sectors and civil society organizations on the sidelines of the Summit.
The developments came a day after he cancelled the December 12 parallel Jamhuri Day celebrations.
According to Onyango, Raila will return by December 18 to proceed with planned public programs.
Raila, on Wednesday 7, initiated the planned countrywide rallies at the Kamukunji Grounds, urging his supporters to show up in large numbers.
However, a day later, on Thursday, December 8, the leader of the minority in the National Assembly, Opiyo Wandayi, announced the cancellation noting that the AU envoy had prior engagements.
"The People's Dialogue shall continue in one way or another, in the coming days, weeks, and months in different parts of the country," Wandayi declared.
Nonetheless, other reports alleged that Raila and Ruto reached an agreement after the former was briefed on the progress of the creation of the office of the official opposition leader.
