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Wednesday, July 10, 2024 –Opposition leader Raila Odinga has explained the reason he had to attend the KICC event with President William Ruto where they both agreed to have a dialogue as their last resort on problems bedeviling the nation.
The ODM party position has remained that the attendance by party leader was unavoidable since he had, in the recent past, led earthshaking demonstrations that gave birth to the NADCO report that had almost all the issues demanded by Kenyans.
In a long paragraphed statement of Wednesday July 10, Raila’s party shared that he(Raila) almost lost his life in the many past protests and that he is also still willing to lead many demonstrations should the government fail to meet certain demands. But as a party that believes in the rule of law and democracy, “there is need to know when to fight and when to retreat and give dialogue a chance”.
IEBC Amendment Bill 2024
The presence of Odinga at the KICC on Tuesday was key because the signing of the IEBC Amendment Bill 2024 was part of his efforts in the last chaotic demonstrations. This Bill was, therefore, signed into law by President William Ruto in the presence of Mr. Odinga.
At the signing ceremony yesterday, the Rt Hon. Odinga called for a national conversation on all the matters being raised by the youths of Kenya and other voices on how to manage the affairs of the nation equally and without friction.
“In making the call, the party leader did what he always does. Raila Odinga always helps the country pull back from the precipice whenever we find ourselves there,” the statement read in part.
ODM Supporters Asked to calm Down
The ODM Party, through a statement signed by its National Chairman John Mbadi, therefore, urged all its supporters to refrain from going on the streets and, instead, focus on the dialogue that is set to start its sittings this Saturday running through the week for six days.
President Ruto and Mr. Odinga made this announcement together at the KICC where they clarified that the dialogue forum will not be funded by the State.
This is in accordance with the austerity measures by the Kenya Kwanza administration following public uproar on wastage within governmnet as well as over-taxation as had been proposed in the rejected Finance Bill 2024.
