Nairobi News

Opposition leader Raila Odinga recently interacted with higher learning student leaders agitating for social change.

They had a dialogue regarding the impact of the rising cost of living on education funding and what should be done to mitigate this.

“Had a dialogue on the impact of rising living costs on education funding with university student leaders. This regime needs to involve students in fund reviews and address the dual laws denying them one man one vote. They’re advocating for free education for skill empowerment, following global examples. Kudos to our students for agitating for social change!” said Mr Odinga in his statement after the meeting.

However, during his address to the students, he also took a moment to hit out at business owners who criticized the opposition-led maandamanos (demonstrations) that rocked the country in early and mid-2023, pushing for a number of things including lowering of the high cost of living and price of maize meal flour that prepares Kenya’s staple food, ugali.

“Today, people are suffering all over. It was those who were saying that Azimio demonstrations were destroying their businesses, they are the ones now asking where is Baba (Raila)? But Baba is silent, he is not talking. Because you said demonstrations are destroying your businesses. Now their businesses are being destroyed, not by demonstrations but through taxation (as he attempted to contain his laughter).

The dog is now eating its children. Now they are saying a spear to a human is painful. As for us, we are just here because they said that they are the ones who know how to run a competitive economy,” said Raila.

He went on to note that the civil service in Kenya is demoralized and the government was bringing in people who never served in the service or taken to Kabete to be trained in administration to become cabinet secretaries, as long as they were from particular tribes. For these and more, he hit out at President William Ruto for his chaotic leadership.

“These things are not going to get better because these people are messing up, They don’t know how to run a competitive economy. Things will not change. You cannot be one person, Mr President, you are the permanent secretary, you run ministries- you know everything. Even when El Nino is coming, you are the one who knows that El Nino is not coming. The work that should be done by the director of meteorology is being done by you as a President. You must be the one talking about everything. Even if somebody’s wife did not dress properly, you’re the one who knows,” Mr Odinga castigated President Ruto.

He additionally told the Kenya Kwanza government that they did not know they had a problem and were the problem in Kenya. He also said the opposition is not ready to advise them.

His sentiments come after the Interior Ministry announced the price hike of its services, some tenfold, in registration for birth certificates, identification cards, and marriage certificates. Following an uproar by Kenyans over the continued heavy and wanton taxation by President Ruto’s regime, a Nakuru man rushed to court to have the price hikes suspended until the Court determined the case.

Mr Odinga’s statement also comes after his daughter, Winnie, told off people who refused to vote for her father now asking her to tell her father to resume the opposition-led demonstrations to fight for a lower cost of living. She told the people that since they voted to ‘send him to Bondo’, they should now leave her father alone- simply telling them to suffer the consequences of their voting choices.

Also read: Mark Masai reflects on life after TV

US ambassador to Kenya Meg Whiteman crowned Luo queen, given local name