Kenyan politician Raila Odinga has warned that President William Ruto’s administration is risking the country’s unity by making public appointments that favour their own communities.
Odinga has accused President Ruto and his deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, of giving their communities the lion’s share of state positions and resources, while those who opposed their bid are being ignored.
He said that out of the 24 cabinet secretaries appointed by Ruto, 14 were from Rift Valley and Central regions. Other regions, like Kisii, got none.
“In Luhya, they gave them two slots, Ukambani got two, Luo Nyanza one, the whole of Coast got one but Central and Rift Valley got nine. Other regions, like Kisii, got none,” Mr Odinga said.
He added that the appointment of principal secretaries had also been skewed, with 13 out of 51 from Ruto’s community and another 13 from Gachagua’s community.
Odinga has warned that the country risks becoming ethnically divided due to such policies.
He accused Ruto of persecuting communities that voted against him, making divisive comments, and employing bad governance and political machinations to entrench himself in power.
His comments came during the burial of Gabriel Mutua, the elder brother to his longtime confidante and advisor, Prof. Makau Mutua.
“We have seen Mr Ruto and his deputy handing their respective communities more than five cabinet slots each while others have none and yet they claim to be uniting the country,’’ Mr Odinga.
Several leaders have spoken out against Gachagua’s comments, including Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua and former Defense Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa.
Wambua has threatened to have Azimio strongholds boycott paying taxes to the government unless Gachagua retracts his statements.
Meanwhile, Martha Karua, Odinga’s running mate in last year’s presidential elections, has pledged to continue peaceful rallies and to follow the law as they engage Kenyans on the way forward following the alleged bungling of the presidential elections last year.
