UHURU SUCCESSION

I'm not in the 2022 presidential race - Raila

In Summary

• Raila said he is disappointed with the reports for deliberately twisting his calls for grassroots elections in the Orange party to link him to the 2022 presidential race.

• He said it was wrong for the media to force candidates into the race rather than focus on real and urgent economic, political and social issues.  

Opposition leader Raila Odinga during a NASA rally at Kamukunji grounds in Nairobi, October 18, 2017.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga during a NASA rally at Kamukunji grounds in Nairobi, October 18, 2017.
Image: /ENOS TECHE

ODM party leader Raila Odinga has dismissed reports indicating that he is running for the presidency in the 2022 General Election.

His remarks come after, the Sunday Nation on Sunday reported that he would contest for the presidential race in the 2022 election, citing that it was the reason he resolved to work with President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Raila, however, in a statement expressed his disappointment in the report terming it 'reckless and irresponsible'.

 

He said the local daily twisted his calls for grassroots elections in the Orange party to link him to the 2022 presidential race.

 
 

“Odinga does not believe that three years into an election expected in 2022, the media should prioritize who is running, who is ahead, who is behind, who is going to win, what are the odds and who will lose,” read the statement by his spokesman Dennis Onyango.

Odinga said the media should not force candidates into the race and should rather focus on reporting on real and urgent economic, political and social issues.  

"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," Onyango said.

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