President Uhuru Kenyatta's response after Madaraka Day guest Lindiwe Sisulu calls Raila President

Uhuru responds after guest calls Raila President

Mwangi Gathanwa

June 1, 2021 2:34 PM

President Kenyatta turned to the guest laughing, as the crowd shouted in excitement.

President Uhuru Kenyatta at Jomo Kenyatta Stadium during Madaraka Day celebrations

President Uhuru Kenyatta responded to the reference of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga as a president by South Africa’s Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Lindiwe Sisulu.

Lindiwe who was Odinga’s guest at the celebrations referred to Odinga as a president instead of former Prime Minister in her speech.

“I would like to thank my brothers in struggle President Raila Odinga (crowd starts to shout)...Prime Minister President Raila Odinga, President Uhuru Kenyatta for the joy they have given my president, Cyril Ramaphosa, to be represented on this day in Kisumu,” she spoke.

During the section of her speech, President Kenyatta turned to her laughing as the crowd shouted in excitement.

South Africa’s Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Lindiwe Sisulu. Pulse Live Kenya

In response to the speech, Uhuru joked that the confusion was a way of wishing the former PM the well in his political endeavors.

“Inaonakana shemaji wenu anawatakia makubwa. Hiyo mmesikia nyinyi wenyewe,” to an appause from a crowd.

The South African Minister was married to a Luo husband and is thus an in law to the community in Kenya.

Professor Rok Ajulu, who died on 26 December, 2016 in Pretoria, South Africa, was born in Bondo, Siaya County in 1950.

As a student of the University of Nairobi Ajulu was itching to take on KANU elite, he became an active student leader and, after several clashes with the authorities, was expelled from University.

Ajulu was an advisor to the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga. In the 1990s, when Odinga formed with other key opposition members, the broad-based Forum for the Restoration of Democracy (FORD), Ajulu helped in drafting policy documents and ensuring the new movement had a strong base.

Later, he became an advisor to Raila Odinga, who in 2008 became Kenya’s prime minister. He later moved to South Africa and settled there.

Mwangi Gathanwa