Rebirth of ‘mongrel’ government in new Raila-Ruto deal

On March 7 2022, then Deputy President William Ruto accused his boss, retired President Uhuru Kenyatta of running “a mongrel of a government system”.

Yesterday, exactly three years later and on the same day marking a coincidence of political fate, March 7, 2025, President Ruto presided over signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with his hitherto political nemesis turned ally, Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga, a political unity pact that will see ruling Kenya Kwanza’s UDA party work jointly with ODM.

The deal dubbed as a working agreement signed at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi has since been dismissed by the opposition’s Azimio One Kenya Coalition affiliate parties as an act of “betrayal” to the Kenyan people.

Before signing the document, ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna and his United Democratic Alliance (UDA) counterpart Hassan Omar read out the issues that will be tackled in the agreement.

Ruto at the time claimed that the President had become a refugee in the Opposition due to his handshake with then National Super Alliance (Nasa) leader Raila Odinga.

When he spoke at the Chatham House in the UK in 2022, Ruto associated the Uhuru-Raila handshake with the collapse of flagship projects, claiming that the Jubilee Party’s manifesto had been kept aside and that Uhuru Kenyatta was a “squatter” in the opposition.

“Today in Kenya, we have a mongrel of a government system. You don’t know whether it is the government that is in opposition or the opposition is the one that is in government,” said Ruto during his opening remarks at the Royal Institute of International Affairs.

“Today the leader of the opposition is a project of the system and the deep state of government. The leader of what is supposed to be the ruling party is a squatter in the opposition party and because of that, we believe we must build our politics behind institutions and not individuals,” the then-presidential aspirant Ruto told the world.

“The whole Big Four plan fell apart. The housing and Universal Health Coverage (UHC) plan never took off, the whole space on agricultural transformation faltered, and BBI went up in smoke. The responsibility of the Office of the President has never been shared between Uhuru Kenyatta and me.”

Three years after his remarks, the president yesterday presided over the signing of a new political pact with Odinga and both outlined their engagements akin to the mongrel he loathed.

The deal is expected to culminate to Odinga exerting more influence in Cabinet and other government positions including control of powerful Parliamentary committees in the National Assembly and the Senate.

Proponents of the new agreement say it aims to advance proposed reforms under the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) framework.

According to the agreement, formalised in a memorandum, the two leaders seek to address Kenya’s socio-economic and governance challenges through structured dialogue and bipartisan engagement.

President Ruto, in his remarks stressed that the deal was not centred on sharing political positions or future elections but on addressing issues affecting Kenyans.

Raila, on the other hand, clarified that the agreement does not amount to a political coalition between the two parties but serves as a framework for national dialogue.

“While this memorandum does not define the formation of a political coalition between the respective political parties, it’s successful implementation will inform the basis of steps towards the establishment of a progressive and stable country,” the MoU between UDA and ODM reads.

The deal also seeks to reinforce devolution by securing adequate funding for counties and guaranteeing timely disbursement of resources.

Ruto and Odinga will also work on strategies to drive investment in high-potential sectors such as agriculture, mining, and ICT to create employment opportunities for young people.

The agreement further calls for an audit of Kenya’s national debt and the strengthening of institutions tasked with fighting corruption.

The leaders also pledged to uphold civil liberties, including the right to peaceful assembly, and called for amnesty for individuals prosecuted for participating in past demonstrations.

As some hailed the newly found merger, others criticised the move as an act of betrayal on Kenyans.

Speaking after the signing, ODM National Chairperson and Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga lauded the new partnership, terming it a sign of putting national interest above self.

“The unity and stability and prosperity of this country is not the responsibility of a few; it is the responsibility of all of us, as a nation. And while we may have different political persuasions, and come from different parts of the country and different schools of thought, nobody can fault unity. Nobody can fault equity,” she stated.

“This unity that you have put together today is not about the two of you, because Baba has seen it all; in fact, he has enough for all generations. The President has sat on all positions. So, in my thinking, this unity is for the young people, women, the marginalized…it is for all Kenyans who have felt like they have never been part of Kenya.”

Her UDA counterpart and Embu County boss Cecily Mbarire echoed the remarks, further lauding the transparency of the process and the contents of the MoU.

Mbarire went ahead to commend President Ruto and Raila for putting aside their differences and hardline stances for the betterment of the nation.

“Today, we’re reminded yet again that the nation will always remain bigger than individual and party interests. I am happy that today, after rumors in the media, we’re not signing an agreement behind closed doors in some private space,” she said.

“I’m also happy that it has taken serious consultations through the party structures to get to where we are. I’m also happy that we have not signed a document which remains a secret to the people who we represent and who matter most. Today, Kenyans know what we have signed up to.”

On the other hand, speaking at the People’s Dialogue Festival at Uhuru Park in Nairobi yesterday, opposition leaders led by Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka and DAP-K Party leader Eugene Wamalwa described the cooperation agreement between their former ally Odinga’s ODM and President Ruto’s UDA as a ‘betrayal to Kenyans.’

The two leaders say Raila has betrayed the cause of the Kenyan people who died in 2023 and 2024 as they protested the high cost of living, punitive taxes, and governance problems.

Kalonzo and Wamalwa maintained that even with Raila’s support, Ruto will still not secure re-election.

“If there is no formula at KICC today showing how Kenyans are going to compensate their families and the loss of lives because of police brutality, then nothing will come out of KICC other than betrayal of the Kenyan people,” said Kalonzo.

Wamalwa echoed the sentiments, maintaining that the current opposition would remain true to the pleas of citizens and not be enticed by government positions.

He consequently criticised Raila for leaving the opposition to dine with the current regime, saying that history will judge his mistakes in due time.

“We chose to stand on the side of the Gen Zs, the people of Kenya, and we in the opposition today want to say that we have chosen deliberately and with clear minds where we stand from today,” said Wamalwa.

“Those who left the opposition to join Zakayo’s government history are harsh judges; may it judge them?”