MAIN REASON WHY RAILA ODINGA RUSHED TO UK

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga takes a break from the political campaigns as he embarks on a tour of the United Kingdom from today just hours after he was crowned the Azimio la Umoja presidential candidate.

Press Secretary in Raila Odinga’s 2022 presidential campaign secretariat, Dennis Onsarigo confirmed that Mr Odinga will be jetting out Sunday night during a tour that will see him meet senior UK government officials, give talks and meet Kenyans living in the UK.

“Mzee (Mr Odinga) will give a talk on democracy in Africa. The people know his credentials in democracy and he is also very keen on governance,” said Mr Onsarigo.

“This is a heavy working trip for him,” Mr Onsarigo added.

His advance team, which left on Saturday shortly after the Jacaranda Grounds rally, is already in London.

He will be leading a delegation comprising of former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth, Governors Hassan Joho (Mombasa), Charity Ngilu (Kitui), Lee Kinyanjui (Nakuru) and Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega), Siaya Senator James Orengo, Suna East MP Junet Mohamed and Ben Agina who is Mr Odinga’s advisor on international affairs and diaspora engagement.

According to Mr Odinga’s schedule that Sunday Nation has seen, while Monday will be quiet with just private meetings, Tuesday will be busy. He will be meeting with the UK Minister of Armed Forces James Heappey.

There are media interviews lined up on the same day before a meeting with UK Prime Minister’s trade envoy to Kenya Theo Clarke at the Westminster.

On Wednesday, Mr Odinga will be meeting Lord Tarif Ahmad, the UK Minister for South Asia, North Africa, the United Nations and the Commonwealth at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). He will also give a talk at the Chatham House Thinktank.

“At this event, Raila Odinga will share his vision for Kenya and Africa in an increasingly uncertain world, and will reflect on the political goal of unity presented by his Azimio la Umoja coalition movement,” the thinktank’s portal says about the event on March 16.

Later in the evening, he will be at the Emirates Stadium to watch the football match between Arsenal FC and Liverpool, according to the official schedule.

Mr Odinga will then meet with the Arch Bishop of Canterbury Justin Welby on Thursday at Lambeth Palace, which is his official residence. On the same day, he will meet with Kenyans living in the UK.

Mr Odinga’s travel to the UK follows a similar one by Deputy President William Ruto recently. The DP also met government officials, the Arch Bishop of Canterbury and also gave a talk at the Chatham House.

However, Mr Onsarigo says that even though Mr Odinga’s schedule in the UK mirrors that of Mr Ruto, their organisations and outcomes are different.

“Mr Odinga’s democratic credentials in Africa are known. I am not sure you can say the same with the DP. So these tours will be quite different,” he said.

Upon return, Mr Odinga will be hitting the road again as he carries on with his campaigns. This will include unveiling the Vijana na Raila Brigade and an expanded Azimio Mtaani team with new members from Azimio la Umoja constituent parties.

Sourced from Nation