Raila Denies Meeting Foreign Diplomats At Kalonzo's Home
The former Prime Minister revealed that he is still battling a strong strain of flu, hence keeping off public engagements and all meetings.
Marvin Chege 
Azimio la Umoja leader, Raila Odinga, on Friday, July 21 denied earlier media reports that he met diplomats at Wiper Party Kalonzo Musyoka's Karen home in Nairobi.
In a statement on his social media handles, the former Prime Minister revealed that he is still battling a strong strain of flu, hence keeping off public engagements and all meetings.
However, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader confirmed that he sent Azimio la Umoja representatives, Opiyo Wandayi and Hon Jeremiah Kioni to visit Kalonzo after reports emerged that he was under an ongoing house arrest and was detained for two days.
"Dear Kenyans, I am currently under the weather, battling a strong strain of flu, hence keeping off public engagements and all meetings. I have therefore held no meeting with any envoys as reported by some media outlets.
Wiper party leader, Kalonzo Musyoka and Azimio la Umoja leader, Raila Odinga in conversation on May 2, 2023. /FACEBOOK.KALONZO MUSYOKA
"Representatives of our coalition Hon Opiyo Wandayi and Hon Jeremiah Kioni have today visited Hon Kalonzo Musyoka following his ongoing house arrest and detention," read his statement on social media.
The details of Kalonzo's meeting with diplomats surfaced first through multiple TV stations such as KTN and Citizen TV, minutes after National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi claimed that Kalonzo has been under house arrest for two days.
Citizen TV reported that the diplomats were from the United Nations, European Union, the United States, and Denmark, with several diplomatic-plated vehicles seen living Musyoka's Karen home at around midday.
The private meeting with foreign diplomats was seen as a possible push towards the opposition to cancel the mass protests which have brought the country to a halt for the past week.
Kalonzo was yet to address the media about the meeting, which comes days after diplomats from the US, UK, Canada, Germany, and nine other countries offered to provide support in mediation talks between President William Ruto and Raila over the planned nationwide demonstrations.
The 13 European Ambassadors had earlier delivered a message via a joint statement to Raila and President Ruto saying they should embrace dialogue to avert demonstrations that could lead to loss of lives.
They acknowledged the challenges Kenyans face every day and called upon both the Raila and Ruto factions to give dialogue another chance in order to address issues facing the country in peace.
"We are saddened by the loss of life and concerned by high levels of violence, including the use of live rounds and the destruction of property, during the recent demonstrations," their statement read in part.
"We recognise the daily hardships faced by many Kenyans and urge all parties to table concerns through a meaningful dialogue and resolve their differences peacefully to build the nation together, ensuring no further loss of life,” the statement read in part.
The 13 high commissioners and ambassadors are Luke Williams (High Commissioner, Australia), Christopher Thornley (High Commissioner, Canada), Ole Thonke (Ambassador, Denmark), Valentin Zellweger (Ambassador, Switzerland), Andrii Pravednyk (Ambassador, Ukraine), Josephine Gauld (Charge d'Affaires, United Kingdom) and Meg Whitman (Ambassador, United States)
Others who were a party to the statement are Pirkka Tapiola (Ambassador, Finland), Sebastian Groth, (Ambassador, Germany) and Fionnuala Quinlan (Ambassador, Ireland), Maarten Brouwer (Ambassador, Netherlands), Geir Arne Schei (Charge d'Affaires, Norway) and Caroline Vicini (Ambassador Sweden).
Wandayi, on his part, refused to disclose details regarding the said meeting in a press briefing as details regarding the private meeting remain undisclosed.
"I did not quite see them myself, this is a free world and people can move around," he remarked.
On Thursday, July 20, Foreign Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua urged foreign powers to respect Kenya's democracy and not push for a truce between Raila and President Ruto.
"While President Ruto has the full political mandate of the people of Kenya he agreed to the opening of a window of inter-parliamentary discussions to address some of the challenges that our country faces," Mutua stated.
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