"Foreign powers opposed my candidature" - Raila Odinga

Geoffrey Lutta, NAIROBI Kenya

Kenya's former Prime Minister Raila Odinga alleged that international communities opposed his candidature due to his plan to tame market monopolies dominated by foreign nations.

Speaking during a book launch on Thursday, October 6 at the National Museum, Raila noted that his plan to turn Kenya into a manufacturing hub did not augur well with some international monopoly capital.

The High Representative to African Union (AU) noted that he had envisioned transforming the country to be an exporter of finished products thus reducing the country's over-reliance on imported goods.

While the agenda was better for the country as it would encourage local manufacturing and production, foreign powers reportedly translated it as a scheme to deprive them of raw materials from the country. 

"The international monopoly capital is not comfortable when you are talking about making Kenya a manufacturing hub to supply Eastern and Central African region. Those people are not happy with you when you talk about beneficiation and value addition to local raw materials that are going to compete against international monopoly capital," Raila stated.

"That is the reason why they don't want us to go in there, but we cannot forever remain servants of international monopoly capital, Africa must rise," he added.

Defending his claims, Raila noted that most international communities remained mum despite his camp raising issues with the malpractices witnessed in the August 9 polls.

He called them out for hailing the Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson, Wafula Chebukati, as a hero despite four commissioners rejecting the final results.

According to Raila, Chebukati's action would not be permissible in other countries in Europe and the US.

"On August 15, you saw the chairman of the Commission running to go and announce the results and the bigger parts of the commissioners saying 'no, these are not the results.' The international community cannot condemn such kind of an action because they knew what was happening. It can only happen in Africa, and not in Europe and the US," he stated.

"It is only here where the chairman of the electoral commission goes alone out of the seven commissioners, then they say he is the hero of the day instead of saying he is the devil of the day."

Raila, however, noted that he would continue championing electoral reforms and economic transformation in the country. He ruled out staging any form of protests but vowed to keep the government in check.

His sentiments came days after President William Ruto hinted at assigning him a role outside the government.  The President noted that he was open to working with the ODM party leader and even former President Uhuru Kenyatta to help his administration prosper.

He reiterated that a handshake arrangement would undermine the opposition's role. 

"When Raila Odinga decides to retire, and I think there are roles he can play as a Kenyan leader, he can support the country in other initiatives may be in the Great Lakes Region, he can work with us as an elder statesman, it is not for me to choose," President Ruto stated.