President William Ruto chats with ODM leader Raila Odinga during UDA-ODM pact signing ceremony at KICC, Nairobi on 7 March, 2025. Photo/Newsflash
By Newsflash Reporter
On Friday, March 7, 2025, Kenyans witnessed a familiar script: Raila Odinga, long hailed as Kenya’s indefatigable opposition leader, once again shaking hands with an incumbent president — this time, President William Ruto.
In a ceremony at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), Raila formalized a working coalition agreement with Ruto, marking the fourth major political truce of his career.
For a man who has spent decades battling successive governments, the recurring question arises: is Raila Kenya’s ultimate peacemaker, or is he driven by self-interest and political survival?
Raila’s ‘handshakes’ through history
Raila’s legacy is punctuated by alliances with the very forces he once opposed. In 1998, he merged his National Development Party (NDP) with the late Daniel arap Moi’s KANU, becoming KANU Secretary-General. That union collapsed in 2002 when Moi endorsed Uhuru Kenyatta for president, prompting him to defect and back Mwai Kibaki’s successful bid under the Narc coalition.
Read also: What is Raila’s next chapter in Kenyan politics?
In 2008, after the disputed 2007 election and ensuing violence, Raila entered into a Grand Coalition Government with Kibaki, becoming Prime Minister. A decade later, in 2018, he stunned Kenyans with his famous handshake with then-President Uhuru Kenyatta, effectively ending opposition protests and restructuring Kenya’s political discourse.
Now, in 2025, following his failed bid for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship, Raila is once again in a working agreement with a sitting president.
Raila’s defense
Speaking during the signing ceremony, Raila dismissed critics questioning his consistency.
“Kenya is bigger than all of us. This is not about Raila or Ruto. It is about the people of Kenya and ensuring peace, stability, and shared prosperity,” Raila said.
He added, “History will judge us not by how loudly we opposed but by how boldly we acted to unite the nation. I have always been ready to sacrifice personal ambition for the greater good.”
Allies defend Raila
ODM officials were quick to defend the new alliance.
“Raila has always prioritized national interest. This partnership with Ruto is about implementing the NADCO report, addressing abductions, curbing corruption, and ensuring fairness for all Kenyans,” said ODM Deputy Party Leader Wycliffe Oparanya.
Suna East MP Junet Mohamed echoed similar sentiments: “Those who say ‘Baba’ is opportunistic forget that without his sacrifices, we wouldn’t have a new constitution, political pluralism, or reforms. He is once again putting Kenya first.”
Critics disagree
However, critics argue that Raila’s repeated handshakes have more to do with securing personal and political relevance than national unity.
Political analyst Peter Mwangi suggests that Raila’s move is as much about survival as it is about stability.
“After losing the AUC chairmanship, Raila needed to reassert his influence locally. Aligning with Ruto gives him bargaining power and protects his legacy. But we must ask, at what cost?” says Mwangi.
Also read: UDA-ODM pact leaves Ruto’s Mt Kenya allies in political cold
Another analyst, Joyce Kamuren adds: “For his supporters, it’s confusing. Raila has spent years painting Ruto as the architect of corruption and poor governance. Now he is his partner. It erodes his credibility as a reformist.”
Is this the end of opposition?
With Raila and Ruto now seemingly on the same team, questions abound about the future of Kenya’s political opposition.
“Kenya risks becoming a one-party state in practice if opposition leaders keep merging with the government. We cannot have democracy without dissent,” warned political commentator Barrack Muluka.
Indeed, Raila’s agreement with Ruto includes implementing the NADCO report, fighting graft, and curbing excessive government spending, all goals traditionally championed by the opposition. Yet, many wonder if real change can come from within a government many perceive as part of the problem.
What next for Raila?
For Raila, the stakes are high. His political legacy is now intertwined with Ruto’s success or failure. If this latest handshake delivers tangible benefits — reduced corruption, improved governance, national unity — he may be celebrated as the statesman who continually prioritized Kenya over self.
Also read: Natembeya slams Ruto’s controversial order on ID vetting
But if the pact collapses or is seen as a move to access state power and resources, his critics will be emboldened.
Political analyst Herman Manyora sums it up: “Raila has always been a master strategist. But this is his riskiest gamble yet. The Kenyan people are watching. They will decide if he is a hero of stability or a merchant of convenience.”
A legacy in the balance
As Raila embarks on this fourth partnership with a sitting president, one truth remains: few Kenyan politicians have managed to remain as central to the nation’s political heartbeat as he has. But whether history will remember him as Kenya’s peacemaker or political chameleon is a story still unfolding.
