H.E Raila Odinga strongly objects to reports appearing in the Sunday Nation today that put him in a presidential race he has not declared any interest in and which does not exist currently. Mr Odinga is further deeply disappointed by the Sunday Nation deliberately twisting his calls for his party ODM to prepare for grassroots elections to mean he is in the presidential race.
Raila Odinga does not believe that three years into an election expected in 2022, who is running, who is ahead, who is behind, who is going to win, what are the odds and who will lose is the priority the press should force Kenyans to occupy themselves with.
As he has stated since the conclusion of the 2017 election, Mr Odinga believes that three years of dissecting poll numbers and forcing candidates into the race rather than focusing on real and urgent economic, political and social issues that the nation needs to deal with ahead of 2022 is reckless, irresponsible and cheap journalism.
It undermines meticulous efforts to help the country address delicate issues facing it, like violent elections every five years, runaway corruption, troubles in the counties, reforms to education and endangered national values.
Mr Odinga entered no race yesterday and he knows no race that is on as reported in Sunday Nation. It’s way too early.
Dennis Onyango
August 18, 2019.
