Passaris meets Ruto as head of state steps up charm offensive on Raila’s allies
Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris is the latest ally of opposition leader Raila Odinga to warm up to President William Ruto.
This after Passaris met up with the Head of State at State House on Thursday to discuss how barriers to trade and investments among African nations can be removed. Also present during the meeting was Tana River Senator Danson Mungatana.
Increasing trade and investment among African nations is the ultimate Pan African agenda. The role of the Pan African Assembly is therefore to remove all barriers to thriving Intra Africa Trade. pic.twitter.com/9OqkFRxOJb
— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) February 24, 2023
Also read: Uliskia wapi! David Ndii says Ruto never promised ‘cheap power’
President Ruto has lately been on a charm offensive to woe Azimio la Umoja-affiliated politicians. Almost every week, the Head of State has been meeting with different political leaders from the opposition.
Among Mr Odinga’s allies take lately met the present are eight legislators from his ODM party. The lawmakers in question are MPs Gideon Ochanda (Bondo), Elisha Odhiambo (Gem), Mark Nyamita (Uriri), Phelix Odiwour (Lang’ata) Caroli Omondi (Suba South), Paul Abuor (Rongo), John Owino (Awendo) and Kisumu Senator Tom Ojienda.
The meeting at State House saw ODM’s top leadership isolating the eight saying they met President Ruto without the party’s approval, even as Mr Odinga continuously insisting that he does not recognise Dr Ruto as the Head of State.
Also read: Raila reveals why he ‘wanted to leave’ AU job
Mr Odinga has also been holding rallies across the country while calling out the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for election irregularities.
While Ms Passaris’ visit to State House has not attracted similar reactions, there has been a case of double standards in Mr Odinga’s political outfit where it is deemed right when some leaders visit Dr Ruto but not when others do the same.
A case in point is Kisumu Governor Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o, who said the party is better off without the ODM leaders who met President Ruto at State House, yet he has had a series of meetings with Dr Ruto yet his loyalty to Mr Odinga has never been questioned.
Also read: Raila’s tenure as AU High Representative for Infrastructure lapses