Raila’s top loyalists who vanished from the public after Ruto’s win
Raila’s top loyalists who vanished from the public eye after Ruto’s win in the August general elections.
Many people, including ardent Azimio leaders who have since disappeared from the public eye, were apparently startled by Azimio Leader Raila Odinga’s defeat to President William Ruto on August 9, 2022.
Some of Raila’s allies, who in reality were bullish and certain of winning the Presidency, suffered a huge setback as a result of his defeat in the polls.
Whereas the Azimio patron, former President Kenyatta has since moved on and is enjoying his quiet retirement away from the public glare, some of his buddies who were Raila’s loyalists are yet to be seen in public after damning loss in August polls.
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta had endorsed Raila as his favored successor and disregarded his deputy before becoming President, which gave Odinga’s supporters confidence that their leader would win.
Despite being prominent throughout the campaigns, the leaders have not yet made a public appearance nearly a month into President Ruto’s term in office.
While Raila swallowed the bitter pill and reluctantly acknowledged Ruto’s victory, he has gradually retreated into the all too familiar realm of the Opposition.
Raila’s top loyalists who vanished after Ruto’s win
David Murathe
Murathe, who was regarded as a close ally of former President Kenyatta, had every reason to believe that Odinga would be elected as Kenya’s fifth president.
After Odinga lost, Murathe, who had previously gained media attention for organizing Kenyans to support Odinga, disappeared.
The former Vice Chairperson of the now diminished Jubilee Party had rallied Kenyans to “prepare for a Mandela moment”.
“It’s time Kenyans rewarded the years of struggle of Raila Amollo Odinga. They owe it to him. It’s like Mandela, and 2022 will be a Mandela Moment,” he once said.
The former Gatanga lawmaker had in 2020 declared that Ruto will never be President describing him as “unsuitable”.
“Ruto’s presidency will be terrible for this country,” he once said.
He faulted President Ruto who was then Deputy President for embarking on early 2022 campaigns instead of helping his former boss to deliver on the Jubilee manifesto.
In the lead-up to the declaration of the results, Murathe appeared to be in disbelief that the presidency was not to be theirs after all translating to Odinga’s yet another loss in a presidential contest.
To date, Murathe has never reacted to President Ruto’s win and still remains unseen in the public glare.
Peter Kenneth- Raila Cheerleader
The former Gatanga MP was a visible figure during the Azimio rallies and hardly ever missed one.
In the Mt. Kenya region where Kenneth hails from, he was the region’s point man for Odinga.
Kenneth who vied in the 2013 presidential election was angling for a comeback in 2022 seeking to be Mt. Kenya’s kingpin but former President Kenyatta’s endorsement of Odinga dashed his ambition.
Kenneth was eyeing the blessings of the former President to be the region’s kingpin.
With his dreams dashed, Kenneth had no option but to back Odinga.
He was among the Azimio-leaning leaders in the region who led the chorus that “Odinga had finally climbed the mountain” in what ultimately turned out to be incorrect.
“It is Odinga’s time and the people of the mountain have accepted him and victory will be his. The mountain will not be in the opposition,” he once said during the campaigns.
Kenneth was once considered Odinga’s running mate until Martha Karua beat him to the ticket.
Kenneth was last seen in the public glare on August 22, 2022, when Odinga physically filed his presidential petition at the then Supreme Court’s temporary base in Milimani Courts in Nairobi.
Kenneth has equally kept a low profile since President Ruto’s win and has never congratulated him.
Whereas Murathe and Kenneth are the two outstanding Azimio leaders who have kept a low profile following Odinga’s loss, other loyalists in the outfit appear to have accepted the verdict and moved on.
The outspoken nominated lawmaker in the 12th Parliament Maina Kamanda who was arguably the most vocal leader rooting for Odinga’s candidature during the campaigns has since admitted that the Azimio candidate lost fair and square.
Central Organizations of Trade Unions Secretary General Francis Atwoli a once bitter critic of President Ruto has since aligned and asked Odinga supporters to move on and accept Ruto’s presidency.
Also read,
Jitters in Mt Kenya over Azimio coalition future as leaders change tune
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