Raila Comes Clean on Claims of Being Endorsed by Kikuyu Elders for 2022 Presidential Race

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has dismissed claims that he was endorsed by Kikuyu elders for the 2022 presidential candidate.

On Friday, Odinga hosted a group of elders led by former Nairobi Gubernatorial aspirant Peter Kenneth at his father’s home in Bondo.

He took the leaders through the museum at his late father’s home, and later addressed the group.

"Muhammad Ali told us “Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain. It’s not something you learn in school. But if you haven’t learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven’t learned anything.

"We are seeing what Ali meant as Mama Ida and I host a delegation of elders from the Mt Kenya region," Mr Odinga wrote.

Following the meeting, a local publication put out a story indicating that the meeting was meant to endorse Odinga for the 2022 presidential contest.

Raila dismisses claims he was endorsed by Kikuyu elders

Reacting to the claims, Odinga noted that the meeting was a gathering between friends, and should not be perceived as an endorsement.

“Yesterday we were here with so many visitors from Mount Kenya. They came to visit us as friends and said that the friendship is not just a two-way street but should spread throughout the entire nation. Kenyans should unite so that they can walk together. That was the reason for yesterday's meeting… Journalists who said that the elders came here to nominate Raila, no! Tell the truth. No one said such things,” Odinga told a local daily. 

(Jana tulikuwa hapa na wageni wengi sana kutoka mlima Kenya. Walikuja kututembelea kama marafiki tukasema kwamba hiyo urafiki sio tu ya makabili mbili tu lakini urafiki tunataka ienee katika taifa letu lote. Wakenya waungane pamoja ili waweze kutembea pamoja. Hiyo ndiyo sababu ya mkutano wa jana… Waandishi wa habari ambao walisema ati jamaa walikuja hapa kuteua Raila, hapana! Mseme ukweli. Hakuna mtu alisema mambo kama hayo).