President William Ruto delivered a high-impact, reflective, and humorous speech at the ODM Founders’ Dinner, where he showered praise on the late former party leader, Raila Odinga.
Speaking during the event in Mombasa, Ruto traced his political roots while making a powerful appeal for the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) to safeguard its unity.
Ruto began by reminiscing about his own journey within ODM, reminding the audience that he had risen to become the Deputy Party Leader and the official Rift Valley point man. He stressed that ODM’s history is deeply intertwined with some of Kenya’s most defining political alliances.
The tempo, however, shifted significantly as he focused on what he termed Raila Odinga’s three greatest strengths.
President Ruto highlighted the qualities that defined the departed leader’s decades-long career:
Ruto stated that Raila believed in the party more deeply than its own followers, including himself.
“Baba was willing to bend backwards, take the heat, cede ground, and sacrifice politically, for the survival of the movement that is ODM today.”
The President emphasised that Raila was not tribal, casting his political net wide and embracing people from all corners of Kenya. He called political inclusion a genuine principle, not just a strategy for the ODM leader.
Ruto then called him a true nationalist whose decisions were anchored on Kenya’s stability, even when painful.
He offered two key examples to illustrate Raila’s dedication to national stability, Raila “absorbed pressure, made painful concessions, and chose peace over escalation” when others were making things difficult. He added that Raila again “stepped back to protect the country from chaos and confrontation,” revealing that the former Prime Minister often let go of much for Kenya, often silently and without credit.
Ruto also clarified that Raila’s defence of the Adani Group was anchored in the long-term gains the country stood to achieve.
The President revealed he had high-level, structured discussions with Raila and Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o about transforming Kenya into a first-world nation, likening the vision to Singapore. He assured the gathering that these futuristic plans are not dead, as Prof. Nyong’o is still working on a significant piece of that vision.
Ruto then moved to the current political partnership, praising the Broad-Based experts for their work.
He singled out Finance CS John Mbadi, saying he understands exactly where Kenya needs to go economically. And the President made a direct appeal to the ODM leadership to continue working with UDA through the Broad-Based arrangement, stating their manifestos mirror each other by about 80%.
He also strongly acknowledged the central role of Oburu Odinga, confirming that Raila never held any serious discussion without his brother’s involvement and that Oburu had crafted and presented the comprehensive list of ministries ODM wanted reserved for the party.
In a key message to the party, the President emphasised the importance of strong national political parties like ODM.
He stated that for ODM to honour Raila’s legacy, its leadership must protect the party from fragmentation and ensure it remains solid and united with a national appeal.
In a lighter moment, Ruto joked about his choice of attire. He confessed he deliberately avoided wearing full orange because he feared his UDA supporters would think ODM had “swallowed” him.
He opted for a blend of Broad-Based colours, pairing a yellow Kaunda suit with an orange hat.
Ruto closed by congratulating ODM on its 20th anniversary, pledging his administration’s open door and support in whatever capacity the party might need.
