Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has strongly rejected ODM leader Raila Odinga’s recent proposal for a national dialogue, dismissing it as a recycled tactic that has historically failed to produce meaningful outcomes.
Gachagua’s remarks come in response to Odinga’s suggestion for a “national conclave” — a platform for civic engagement and reform aimed at addressing Kenya’s economic woes and rising human rights concerns. Speaking during a visit with Kenyans in Seattle, Washington, Gachagua characterized the proposal as a self-serving move designed to secure political relevance.
“Raila is totally irrelevant in the political discourse,” Gachagua stated. “He wants to be in government without taking responsibility. When the situation becomes untenable, he distances himself from the mess.”
Gachagua further accused Odinga of habitually entering into dialogue with successive governments without delivering solutions, pointing to past engagements that, in his view, led to little or no change. He insisted that the true solution lies in electoral change, urging Kenyans to persevere until the 2027 General Election.
“The dialogue we need is at the ballot box in 2027,” he emphasized. “Raila has been part of every dialogue, yet our problems remain. We need transformative leadership — not half measures.”
The remarks come amid rising public anger over the high cost of living and a heavy-handed government response to recent street protests. Odinga’s call for dialogue followed the 35th anniversary of the Saba Saba protests — a day marked this year by renewed clashes between demonstrators and police.
Gachagua, however, remains firm that no form of dialogue with President William Ruto’s administration will yield results, declaring: “Even what you will agree will be a lie. There’s nothing we can discuss with him because it cannot work.”
As Kenya’s political tensions intensify, the sharp exchange underscores the deep divisions on how best to address the country’s socio-economic challenges.
