ODM leader Raila Odinga has explained why he signed a cooperation agreement with President William Ruto.
Speaking at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) during the signing ceremony also attended by President Ruto, Raila stated that the deal aims to stabilise and save the country.
He emphasised that the agreement seeks to address chronic social, economic, and political challenges facing Kenya.
According to Raila, the agreement was drafted long ago by
teams from both ODM and UDA, but he delayed signing it to allow for further
consultations.
He revealed that he was expected to sign the deal upon returning from abroad after his unsuccessful bid for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship.
"The two teams had already finalised the agreement and wanted it signed, but I told them I would not do so until I consulted our people," Raila said on Friday.
After touring at least 10 counties across different regions, Raila said he gained a clear understanding of what Kenyans wanted.
"That was what we call random sampling—I wanted to feel the pulse of my supporters. After hearing their views, I am now here to sign this document," he stated.
Raila clarified that the agreement was between ODM and UDA,
not the Kenya Kwanza Alliance.
"Today, we have signed a memorandum of understanding between ODM and UDA. The core objective of this MoU is to ease the prevailing tensions in the country," Raila stated.
He added that the broad-based agreement would help reconcile the population and alleviate their suffering by addressing critical social, political, and economic issues.
As leaders of Kenya’s two largest political parties, Raila said they agreed to work together, recognizing that in times of major change, grandstanding or standing aside to critique is not enough.
"We have agreed to build our country rather than tear it down," Raila said.
"We will use our parties as broad platforms to bring together diverse voices, opinions, and concerns to address the country’s most pressing challenges."
