ODM Party leader Raila Odinga has called for calm, noting that this is a trying time for the country, given the recent wave of protests and tension in various regions.
Speaking during the final day of the two-day national executive retreat at the KCB Leadership Centre in Karen, Nairobi, on Friday, June 20, 2025, Raila stated that Kenyans must first protect the nation before pursuing ideal ambitions.
“I believe strongly that no matter our disagreements, our visions and disappointments, we have to have a country first,” Raila said.
“We may hold as lofty visions as we wish, but without a country to implement the ideas, they will remain mere wishes and deferred dreams. An imperfect nation making efforts to become a more perfect union is preferable to a nation that went under.”
Exclusion in government
The ODM supremo decried the prevailing political environment in the nation, noting that a worrying trend was creeping up where certain politicians feel that they must be in power.
“This review also comes at a trying time for the country, emerging from those demanding better services and more say in government. The ferment is also driven by those who feel they have to be in power. Both categories are citizens of Kenya. They deserve a hearing,” Raila stated.
The presence of Raila at the top decision-making organ of the executive underscored his role in the ruling broad-based government.
His presentation on the last day of the retreat equally laid credence on his position in the hierarchy of leadership in the government.
High-level retreat
Raila noted that this was his first appearance at the high-level retreat with top government officials since Raila and President William Ruto signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) on March 7, 2025.
“This is the first retreat since the ODM and UDA signed an MOU that not only preserved the nation, but also set out a broad agenda for the creation of a people-centred, proactive, inclusive and pragmatic service delivery,” Raila said.
Key provisions of the MoU included the full implementation of the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) report, which prioritised issues such as the high cost of living, youth unemployment, and the establishment of a framework for the two-thirds gender rule.
Ruto and Raila also committed to strengthening devolution by ensuring adequate funding and timely disbursement of resources to county governments.
Additionally, the pact emphasised upholding civil liberties, including the right to peaceful assembly, and called for amnesty and compensation for individuals who were charged or suffered harm while exercising their protest rights.
This has, however, come into sharp focus, with members of the public and the civil society noting that victims of police brutality continue to shoulder hefty hospital bills, and families of those killed in protests are yet to be compensated.
