Grapevine

Raila goes global as Ruto sets up shop on his turf

Raila Odinga at State House, Nairobi, on Tuesday, August 28, 2024, where he was officially unveiled as Kenya’s candidate for the chairperson of the African Union Commission. [PCS]

It is is now official: There is no turning back for Raila Odinga who must shift his focus entirely to his bid for the chairperson of the African Union Commission over the next five months and step away from local politics.

But before he departs, President William Ruto will today kick-start the push to inherit Raila's constituency, which the ODM founder has held in a stranglehold for 19 years.

Following yesterday consummation of what could be Kenya's biggest political marriage whose reception was held at State House and attended by three presidents, one prime minster and two former heads of state, the cake-eating ceremony now shifts to Nyanza.

Here, President Ruto is expected to camp for four days barely 36 hours after he attended the homecoming of former ODM party leader Wycliffe Oparanya.