Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has spoken about Interior CS Fred Matiang’I challenging DP Ruto for the presidency in 2022.

Raila made the remarks amidst reports that the powerful CS has been floated to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta with Gusii leaders put him to task to endorse the Super CS for the 2022 presidential elections.

The ODM party leader made it clear that early campaigns is unnecessary as the CS has a lot more important duties to attend to given his role as the super CS.

He added that should they embark on early campaigns, there would be no difference between the (Pro-Handshake team) and their competitors (Team Tangatanga led by DP Ruto) that has reportedly embarked on early campaigns.

“Tukianza mambo ya 2022 sasa, haitakuwa tofauti kati yetu na wale wengine…Tuianza kusema sasa tunataka Matiangi tutaharibu maneno.(There will be no difference between us and the others  if we start 2022 campaigns. If we go about demanding for Matiangi to vie in 2022 we shall spoil things)” Odinga said.

Making a declaration on 2022

The former Prime Minster called for patience, adding that at the right time, a declaration shall be made.

“Wacheni Matiangi afanye kazi, anafanya kazi muhimu Zaidi...Yale mengine yote tutawaambia wakati ikifika. (Let Matiang’i do his job as he has very important issues to attend to…We shall inform you when the right time comes)” added Odinga.

He was speaking at Nyanturago in Nyaribari Masaba during the burial of former Assistant Minister Hezron Manduku.

The debate was sparked by Dagoreti North MP Simba Arati who stated that the job will be done as soon as Odinga endorses Matiangi for the presidency.

“Mimi kama msemaji rasmi wa jamii ya Omogusii baba akifika ashike mkono ya Matiangi aseme Matiangi tosha si hiyo kazi Imeisha (As the Gusii spokesperason, when Raila endorses Matiang’I for the presidency, the job shall have been accomplished)” Arati said.

Below is the video of Raila making the remarks, courtesy of NTV.