Former ODM Executive director Wafula Buke has raised concerns over President William Ruto’s public recognition of the late Raila Odinga as a national hero, suggesting it could amount to an ideological manipulation of Raila’s legacy.
The comments follow Ruto’s endorsement of a proposal by Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja to rename the new Talanta International Stadium after Raila during the Jamuhuri Day celebrations at Nyayo National Stadium.
Buke drew parallels between the Kenyan scenario and historical events in the Democratic Republic of Congo, citing former President Mobutu Sese Seko’s posthumous glorification of Patrice Lumumba, whom he had allegedly orchestrated the assassination of.
According to Buke, Mobutu’s act was self-serving, designed to capture public admiration while suppressing the deceased leader’s ideological influence.
In a detailed Facebook post, Buke argued that Ruto’s gesture could similarly dilute Raila’s political philosophy and influence within ODM. He claimed that Raila’s death, compounded by state harassment during Ruto’s tenure, weakened the party’s strategic direction and left it vulnerable to internal manipulation.
“Ruto’s public endorsement of Raila as a national hero strengthens the hand of his sympathisers within ODM, stabilising his influence and potentially redefining Raila’s political philosophy,” Buke wrote.
He noted that Raila had not addressed succession plans within the party before his death, leaving ODM exposed to divisions that Ruto could exploit.
Buke also highlighted several unresolved national issues that Raila had championed, including state accountability and electoral reforms.
He said that Ruto’s tribute ignored these issues, arguing that it risked undermining the transformative aspirations Raila had advocated.