Why deal between President and Raila is a blow to ex-DP

President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga after signing a political agreement at KICC, Nairobi, on March 7, 2025. [Emmanuel Wanson, Standard]

Last week's signing of a 10-point Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between President William Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga raises many interesting observations. Some political pundits believe that the MoU provides a much-needed blow-valve through which tensions that have rocked Ruto's presidency will be dissipated. Others believe that it presages a dearth of public accountability with the de facto father of Opposition now a member of the government in all but name.

The pact between erstwhile political foes appears to be transactional. American economist and political commentator Thomas Sowell said, "politics is the art of making your selfish desires seem like national interests." It seems Raila is an exemplar of Sowell's pithy observation. For decades, he has wrangled for himself deals that put him at the heart of Kenya's government. US-based university professor David Monda, in a newspaper article, describes Raila as "the first and foremost prime political survivor that puts enlightened self-interest above all."