"Keep off the Opposition over Raila's Health," Kalonzo Warns ODM

The Orange Democratic Party (ODM) is using Raila Odinga's health issue as a diversionary tactic against the opposition. "ODM's move is "an act of desperation" to divert the nation from the cracks dogging the party within the broad-based government deal it made with the government. "ODM's hollow moralizing and blame games cannot mask their betrayal of the Kenyan people," said Wiper Patriotic Front (WPF) as it fired back in a statement. "Their alliance with President Ruto's regime, the same administration responsible for bloodshed, economic ruin and repression, exposes them as co-authors of the nation suffering. ODM's latest statement is not about Raila's health. It is about their guilt, their fear, and their desperate attempt to justify a political marriage stinking of despotism." Wiper, therefore, maintained that it will not allow Wiper party's leader Kalonzo Musyoka to be dragged into ODM's "self-inflicted political decay". Wiper fired back after Kalonzo and other opposition principals were accused by the Orange party for spreading rumours on Odinga's health. Kalonzo harbours no ill intent towards his long-time political ally and claims that he is spreading rumours against him is malicious. The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) dismissed reports that its boss, Raila Odinga, is battling health complications. In a statement on Sunday, the party scoffed at circulating rumours that Odinga is indisposed, hence why he has been missing from the public eye. The party fingered the opposition for spreading the rumours in an attempt to weaken President William Ruto's political fortitude. It added that ex-Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, DAP-K boss Eugene Walawa and others are only mudslinging Odinga's name to erode mass support for the ruling administration. "The misinformation is broadcast by the same team that went on a frenzy against Hon. Raila's bid for the chairmanship of the African Union Commission earlier this year," ODM added. "Gachagua, Kalonzo & co have co-opted sections of the traditional media that are happily picking feeds from bloggers, including AI-generated images, and broadcasting them as some kind of investigative Breaking News." ODM clarified that Odinga left the country on Friday for an undisclosed mission, and if he was ailing, he would have made it public as he had done in previous instances. "Hon. Raila has a strong tradition of being open and generous with the country on matters of his health. He told the country that he was undergoing a procedure when he was hospitalized as a sitting Prime Minister of the Republic of Kenya in June 2010," said ODM. "He told the country that he was diagnosed with COVID and hospitalized as the Opposition leader in 2021. He would do the same today were he to be in the health situation his opponents wish."