Raila meets ODM allied CSs amid talk of Cabinet reshuffle
While signing the agreement at KICC in Nairobi, both President Ruto and Raila said that it was not about sharing positions or the 2027 election
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga has met with Cabinet Secretaries allied to his party and the parliamentary leadership for consultations nearly two weeks after signing a cooperation agreement with President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
“I met our experts in the broad based coalition together with our parliamentary leadership to consult on national and emerging issues,” Raila posted on his verified X account after the meeting.
Those in attendance were Opiyo Wandayi (Energy and Petroleum), Hassan Joho (Mining and Blue Economy), Wycliffe Oparanya (Cooperatives and SMEs Development), John Mbadi (National Treasury) and Beatrice Askul Moe (East African Community Affairs and ASAL Development).
Others were National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohamed and his Senate counterpart Stewart Madzayo as well as Kenya Revenue Authority chairman Ndiritu Muriithi.
The meeting came as sources indicated President Ruto was finalising plans to shake up his administration with more Raila allies set to be appointed Cabinet and Principal Secretaries.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua recently claimed that ODM has been offered 10 PS slots as part of the deal signed between ODM and UDA, which could see those from the Mt Kenya region sacrificed.
“I had negotiated for 15 PS seats and I had pleaded with him (Ruto) to retain some of them, but he told me to let all Uhuru people go, we will bring new faces. New PSs were appointed as per his wish, but when the names were announced he had changed the list. He reappointed all Kalenjin PSs who served under Uhuru and when I questioned him, he told me if I want to appoint the PSs, I just vie for the Presidency so that I can appoint whoever I want,” Gachagua said.
In a rejoinder, ODM Communications Director Philip Etale said the 10 slots, which would be distributed nationally.
“And out of the 10, they will be distributed across the country and every region will be considered. Some times it is better to keep quiet than speak out loudly and look tribal,” he posted on X.
While signing the agreement at KICC in Nairobi, both President Ruto and Raila had, however, said that it was not about sharing positions or the 2027 election but addressing the challenges Kenyans are facing.
