Leaders divided over Raila's state banquet invitation

The presence of Opposition leader Raila Odinga at a State House event on Tuesday has set tongues wagging with Kenyans speculating on whether he is slowly warming up to President William Ruto.

Raila who had been accompanied by National Assembly’s Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi was among the guests during the state banquet organised in honour of visiting King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

The ODM leader was seen having a conversation with President William Ruto’s security adviser Monica Juma at the event.

Later on, he was seen posing for photos and exchanging pleasantries with the cabinet secretaries before he was later introduced to the King by the President.

It should not be lost that Raila has continued to hold the view that he won the 2022 presidential election and that he cannot recognise Ruto as the president.

He said he won with more than two million votes, citing a dossier released by a ‘whistleblower.’

“We as Azimio reject the 2022 election results. We cannot and will not recognize the Kenya Kwanza regime and consider the Kenya Kwanza government illegitimate. We don’t recognize Mr William Ruto as the President of Kenya,” Raila said during a past event in Nairobi.

The Azimio leader has been behind a push to have some MPs from his ODM kicked out for working with Ruto.

Wandayi declined to comment about the visit when contacted.

“I have no comment about that,” he told the Star on the phone.

Vihiga senator Godfrey Osotsi denied reports that Raila was invited by Ruto insisting "he was there as a friend of the Royal family," he said.

Osotsi asserted that Raila was at State House through the invitation of Britain's High Commissioner to Kenya Neil Wigan.

"You remember Raila was visited by the new ambassador to Kenya on October 12...that is the exact time when he received an official invitation to the event to meet the King," he explained.

"Raila was not there courtesy of the invitation of Ruto or these UDA people but as a visitor of the King and as Opposition leader".

State House, he insisted, is the property of the people of Kenya and anyone is free to visit.

Raila's visit, which was the first, comes a month after Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka also visited the venue for a state dinner.

In a recent event, Kalonzo appeared to read from a different script with Raila giving signals that he was now ready to work with Ruto.

“I congratulate the President for putting his foot down and saying that talks must continue and for showing his position, we say we continue to recognise him,” he said.

Murang'a Senator Joe Nyutu says the decision to invite the leader was deliberate and Kenyans should not read much into it.

He said had Ruto failed to invite the Opposition, a perception would have been created that the ongoing talks don't enjoy his goodwill.

"Raila not only has the support of Kenyans but he is also recognised in Western countries. What better way for President Ruto to show that Kenya is united than having Raila invited to State House during the Royal visit?" he posed.

On his part, Mbeere North Geoffrey Ruku has argued that Raila may have been invited to State House by the British High Commissioner to Kenya and not necessarily the President.

"The visit by the King has taken months and months of preparations. There is a lot of back office work that is done by the diplomats and that is why all members from the political space were present," he observed.

On Raila's visit, Kalonzo did not confirm whether he had been invited noting the State banquet should not be taken out of context.

Speaking Wednesday, Kalonzo stated that some leaders of certain ranks are eligible to be invited when influential leaders visit the country.

"At the level of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, I can tell you some of us are on a standing list that we would be invited in the event of an important guest like his Majesty King Charles. It should not be seen beyond that," he said.