NAIROBI, Kenya — Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi has dismissed claims that some Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) members joined the broad-based government without the approval of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Wandayi said Raila deliberately allowed ODM leaders to work with President William Ruto’s administration to promote national stability and effective governance.
“Of the current generation of leaders, if you leave out the old guard, I am one of those who served Raila the longest under his tutelage,” Wandayi said. “I am therefore in a position to understand what my party leader thought and what he meant for this government.”
The CS maintained that Raila wanted the broad-based arrangement to succeed for the benefit of the country.
“I have no doubt whatsoever in my mind that Raila desired that this government succeeds for the benefit of all Kenyans,” Wandayi said. “He willingly allowed members of his party to participate in this government as a way of making a contribution towards development.”
Wandayi joined the Kenya Kwanza administration in 2024 at the height of anti-government protests. Other ODM figures who took up Cabinet positions include Mining CS Hassan Joho, Treasury CS John Mbadi, and Cooperatives CS Wycliffe Oparanya.
His remarks follow criticism from Suba South MP Caroli Omondi, who alleged that some leaders were invoking Raila’s name to justify their participation in the broad-based formation.
“People are putting words into the mouth of a dead man for convenience,” Omondi said in an interview on February 18, claiming that certain politicians joined the arrangement contrary to Raila’s direction at the time.
Wandayi rejected that account, arguing that those who worked closely with Raila understood his broader vision for national stability and service delivery. He said the decision to cooperate with the Kenya Kwanza administration was strategic rather than opportunistic.
The Energy CS also acknowledged the political vacuum left by Raila’s death, saying many of his supporters were still grappling with the loss.
“Most of us who were Raila’s political disciples feel orphaned,” Wandayi said. “His passing was unexpected, but life must go on. We owe it to Kenyans to perpetuate Baba’s legacy by serving them.”
Defending his continued engagement in ODM affairs, Wandayi said Cabinet secretaries retain their constitutional right to participate in political activity, including explaining and defending government programmes, provided they do not violate the principles of collective responsibility.
As internal debates continue, the question of Raila’s intended political direction remains central to ODM’s future positioning ahead of the 2027 General Election.
