Chatham House lecture on Raila’s agenda in the UK » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 7 — Orange Democratic Movement Leader Raila Odinga is scheduled to deliver a lecture at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, during he visit to the United Kingdom slated to commence after March 12.

The London-based policy institute confirmed the engagement after Deputy President William Ruto delivered his lecture on democracy.

Odinga is expected to jet out of the country after the unveiling of the Azimio la Umoja presidential candidate on March 12.

Details concerning his tour to UK have remained scanty but sources indicated his visit in the UK could last five days.

Chatham House, founded in 1920, has sought to play a leading key role in shaping emerging democracies through policy-driven discussion and debates.

Ruto left the country on February 27 for a 12-day tour of the United States and the United Kingdom with a series of meetings with government officials, religious leaders and Diaspora lined up.

In his USA tour, Ruto warned against plans to rig the August polls and spoke in details about the frosty relationship between him and President Uhuru Kenyatta as well as the delivery of the Big 4 development agenda which he said was derailed after Kenyatta teamed up with Odinga in March 2018.

Ruto singled out blackmail, threats and intimidation as some of the biggest obstacles to democratic elections as Kenya braces for the August 9 General Elections.

Speaking in Maryland, United States, he said Kenyans want to make the choice of their preferred leaders without being intimidated by anyone including state officials who have been on the spot lately for targeting politicians allied to certain camps ahead of the polls.

The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Party Leader pointed out that the major issue on the ballot in the upcoming polls is the democracy of the country and whether voters will have a chance to make their own choices, devoid of blackmail, threats and intimidation.

“That is the matter that is on the ballot, and that’s a matter that many Kenyans in fact if you understand a little bit of Swahili, that is what informs the current push by many Kenyans to say hatupangwingwi meaning we want to make our own choices without being choreographed, chaperoned, blackmailed or intimidated),” Ruto said.

The DP committed to accept results of of the August 9 presidential campaign challenging the State to commit to a smooth transfer of power.

“They’ve been on record saying if a certain individual wins the election, they’ll not hand over power. Let the commit to a peaceful transition,” he said.