“We shall crisscross the country together and after two weeks we will retreat here and unveil our joint candidate as Azimio La Umoja.
Those are the chilling words from President Uhuru Kenyatta at Kasarani today February 26, 2022, as Azimio Coalition leaders begin the process of launching their joint candidate for the presidency in two weeks’ time.
These two weeks could mean everything for Kenyans looking for the next president to take over after the August elections this year. It is now or never as simple as that.
” A man who looks at the cause of violence is a peacemaker. Raila is a peacemaker.” That is Uhuru’s verdict on his work with Raila Odinga to move the country forward after the 2022 elections and how they have worked together since the handshake in 2018.
He also disclosed that OKA chiefs have committed to unity talks geared to rallying behind a candidate who will form the next government.
“Raila the politician is the man I have been in competition with for many years, I am here because of Raila leader. There is a difference between a politician and a leader.”
President Uhuru Kenyatta has come out guns blazing to criticize Deputy President William Ruto, accusing him of absconding from his government duties to satisfy personal self-interests.
“There is nothing wrong with ambition. A man who doesn’t have ambition…a nation that doesn’t have ambition is a nation that goes nowhere,” he said.
“You must have ambition. But ambition must be controlled. It cannot be unbridled; it cannot be uncontrollable. Uncontrolled ambition is like having an unguided missile that can land and cause destruction.”
“Kila mtu anataka kuwa kiongozi wa nchi, si ni ukweli? Your personal ambition cannot supersede the well-being of 50 million people because that is not how life works. If we’re guided in that direction, we are bound to fail my brothers and sisters,” he stated.
“Kuna wengine wamesema ati Raila na kina Kalonzo waliingia serikali wakabadili mipango ya serikali. Nilipea Baba mkono wa amani, na yeye akarudisha mkono wa amani,” he stated.
“Kuna cheo chochote cha serikali mlisikia Raila alichukua ama Kalonzo walichukua katika serikali wakanyanganya mtu yoyote?”
“Kama wewe tumechaguliwa pamoja na umeamua jukumu yako ni kuwa upinzani ndani ya serikali, mimi nikaenda kutafuta Baba, Wiper, Gideo. ..jameni kujeni mnisaidie hapa mambo,” he noted.
“Si ni mjinga kukosa kuenda kuomba usaidizi na nyumba yake inataka maji kuzima moto uliowashwa kutoka ndani.”
Uhuru’s speech at Kasarani makes it clear that the time for games and shadow boxing is over. Everybody is inside the ring now and it is game on.
This is beyond a game-changer. It is the real deal. Uhuru and Raila have to take this thing to the next level and then put in place the finer points at every turn as we approach August 9, 2022.
It is time up.
Everything is on the table and it is clear that as the Azimio team goes across the country in the next two weeks it will be a full-time campaign for the 2022 elections where no stone will be left unturned and the Azimio Coalition will present their plan for the future of Kanya where the cornerstone is national unity and prosperity for all citizens.
They are not mincing words about that.
Adongo Ogony is a Human Rights Activist and a Writer who lives in Toronto, Canada