In a blistering revision of recent political history, lawyer Saitabao Ole Kanchory has moved to sanitize Raila Odinga’s legacy, declaring on Tuesday that the veteran opposition chief never actually joined President William Ruto’s government—he simply "donated" four technocrats to save a sinking ship.

Speaking during a fiery interview on Spice FM, Kanchory’s assertions reopen the healing wounds of the 2024 "broad-based government" deal. For the wananchi grappling with the high cost of living, the distinction is critical: Is the opposition dead, or was it merely lending a hand? Kanchory’s narrative challenges the prevailing view that the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) are now one flesh, arguing instead for a calculated distance that keeps Raila’s hands clean for 2027.

The "Donation" Theory

Kanchory, who served as Raila’s chief agent in the chaotic 2022 polls, dismissed the narrative that Raila abandoned the opposition. He insisted that the four ODM heavyweights who joined the Cabinet—Mining CS Hassan Joho, Cooperatives CS Wycliffe Oparanya, Energy CS Opiyo Wandayi, and Finance CS John Mbadi—did so as "experts" rather than political envoys.

• John Mbadi: Tasked with salvaging the Treasury.
• Hassan Joho: Assigned to unlock the Blue Economy.
• Wycliffe Oparanya: Mandated to revive the cooperative movement.
• Opiyo Wandayi: Placed in charge of the critical Energy docket.

"Raila Odinga never joined the broad-based government himself; he made it clear that he has donated four experts to Ruto," Kanchory stated, emphasizing that there is no record of Raila urging his supporters to join the ruling party. This framing attempts to absolve Raila of the current administration's struggles, suggesting he offered help without offering his soul.

A House Divided

The lawyer’s comments expose a deep rift within the opposition's remaining structures. While Kanchory paints a picture of a reluctant Raila, other family members tell a different story. Just last month, Oburu Oginga, the family patriarch and Siaya Senator, was quoted saying Raila "left us united... in a broad-based government" and directed the community to work with President Ruto.

Kanchory, however, likened the Cabinet secretaries' entry into government to an impulsive decision. "It is like a girl who wants to get married and, before being stopped, jumps into the marriage," he quipped, suggesting the four leaders may have moved faster than their party leader intended. He further claimed that the much-touted "10-point agenda" was never a joint governing pact, but a list of demands that the opposition expected the government to fulfill.

The Kenyan Lens: Why It Matters

For the average Kenyan in Nairobi or Kisumu, this semantic battle has real-world consequences. If Raila is indeed "out" of government, the expectation for robust opposition remains on his shoulders. If he is "in," as Oburu suggests, then the lack of alternative voices to check government excesses—such as tax hikes or service delivery failures—becomes a shared liability.

Kanchory challenged critics to produce evidence of Raila telling his base to support the regime. "I can challenge you to look for any place where Raila told his supporters to join the broad-based government," he dared. As the 2027 political alignments begin to take shape, this distancing act may be the first step in ODM disentangling itself from the incumbency curse.

"Raila distanced himself because he understood the unpopularity of the current regime," Kanchory concluded, hinting that the 'donation' was a strategic loan, not a permanent gift.