Kisumu: ”Without Raila there is no politics in Kenya”

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Raila’s new appointment as High representative for Infrastructure Development by African Union has led to various reactions including questions as to whether he will quit being active in politics to focus only on his new job.

A section of Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) in Kisumu have maintained that Odinga will not retire from active politics in the country, despite the appointment.

Kondele Ward MCA Joachim Oketch Swagga said that the former Prime Minister will not exit the country’s political stage any time soon, because “without Raila there’s no politics in Kenya.”

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MCA Joakim Swagga

“His appointment means he does not only represent Kenya but the entire African continent. We have just loaned him to Africa, but he still belongs to Kenya,” Swagga said in an exclusive interview.

His sentiment was echoed by his Railways Ward counterpart Pastor David Arao.

Arao said that Raila’s new appointment does not mean that he should retire from the Kenyan political scene.

“Others are making noise that Raila should now retire from Kenyan politics. Raila has been given this post because he is the leader of ODM party,” he said.

“This new appointment now gives him a bigger mandate to serve his people even better. I am certain that if he was not ODM leader, he would not have gotten this position,” he added.

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Raila Odinga

The former prime minister has not publicly declared if he will take a fifth aim at the presidency but his close allies have been hinting that he could throw his hat in the ring again.

In his new role, Raila will spearhead the AU’s infrastructure drive and the Planning and Coordinating Agency of New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).

As a special envoy of the AU chairperson, Raila will have an office in Addis, but with frequent travel across the continent.

This could be a highly-engaging itinerary that could keep him on the move as he organizes investment and other transnational development initiatives.

While Raila will also have an office in Nairobi with staff and advisers to boost his local presence and unity programmes with Uhuru, politicians believe his schedule could chip away at his local influence

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Anonymous revelation by a politician to the star said, “There is confusion in the party over our leader’s new role. This could be a strategy to shove him off the main political stage. His absence will be catastrophic for the opposition. He must explain to us how he intends to shuttle between the two roles while making sure that his role in the 2022 elections remains clear,”

“Raila is the cornerstone of NASA. His absence is a concern because that would throw us into disarray and reorganizing ourselves might be a challenge,” he added.

But some of Raila’s close allies say his elevation, as a continental envoy, will only strengthen his presidential ambitions.

“The role enhances his standing as presidential material,” said ODM minority Whip Junet Mohamed, one of his close allies and strategists.

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