Raila Odinga Defends Shock Decision To Work With Gachagua
As per Raila, his bid for the continental seat was backed by the government, therefore Gachagua isn't an exception.
Marvin Chege 
Azimio la Umoja leader, Raila Odinga on Thursday, June 6 hinted at working together with Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua despite the two being at political loggerheads for a considerable amount of time.
Odinga who spoke during the presentation of Limuru 3 resolutions at Chungwa House had noted that his decision to work with the Deputy President was mainly due to his quest to clinch the role of African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson.
As per Raila, his bid for the continental seat was backed by the government, therefore Gachagua isn't an exception. The former Prime Minister hailed the second-in-command as a changed man.
Raila Odinga speaking during the presentation of Limuru 3 resolutions at Chungwa House on June 6, 2024. /RAILA ODINGA
“I am working with everybody in this country, nobody specifically, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is a member of the government and yesterday the government pledged to support my bid for AU. He has seen the light, he is a Saul who has become a Paul,” Raila remarked.
In the same vein, the opposition chief declared his support for the One Man, One Vote, One Shilling approach arguing that it would ensure fair distribution of resources in the country.
While endorsing the approach, Odinga called for constitutional amendments to ensure fair distribution of funds, referring to similar attempts to amend the Constitution through the defunct Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).
“Some people don’t want to hear it but we want to ensure that every Kenyan is equally treated that is why we are saying one man one vote one shilling, I agree totally with this, I am not a populist, I always talk my mind openly,” Raila stated.
On May 13, DP Gachagua announced he would push for the adoption of the one-man-one-shilling formula, explaining that it is critical for development in the Mt Kenya region.
“In matters of revenue sharing, I am a believer, a proponent of one-man-one-vote-one-shilling. Resources are about the people.
"The whole issue of resources is about the people. The more you are, the more taxes you pay. It goes without saying, the more taxes you pay, the more you should get,” Gachagua stated.
Raila's pronouncement on working with the Deputy President came a day after the government expressed its commitment to support the ODM party leader's quest for the AU Commission job.
Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi who held a joint presser with Raila on Wednesday, June 5, commended the opposition leader's political experience and leadership as he affirmed the government's support.
