Francis Atwoli Shares How William Ruto Reacted To Raila's AU Bid: "He Took Everybody Unaware"

• COTU Secretary-General Francis Atwoli said President William Ruto swiftly acted to endorse Raila Odinga's AUC bid
• Atwoli stated that the Kenya Kwanza government and the COTU team threw their weight behind Ruto to support the Azimio leader
• He said Raila remains his friend as they not only share political ties but are also brothers-in-law, hence the connection between them

Nancy Odindo, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics, news, and feature stories across digital and print media in Kenya.

Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli has shared a light-hearted account of how President William Ruto reacted to Raila Odinga's interest in leading the African Union Commission (AUC).

According to Atwoli, Ruto wasted no time in responding to his political opponent's aspirations.

Instead, he swiftly outlined certain personal requirements before decisively expressing his support for Raila and exiting the scene, catching everyone off guard.

Atwoli revealed that Ruto's endorsement of the ODM leader was backed by the Kenya Kwanza administration, along with the support of the COTU team.

"When Ruto got information that Raila wants to become the chairperson of the AUC, he just said, remove all these things, give me that jacket'. He was out without a formal agreement or handshake, taking everybody unaware including those in Azimio and Kenya Kwanza. His coalition moved faster to support Raila and we at COTU lauded the move," explained Atwoli.

Since the Azimio leader's announcement, the president has been actively persuading various heads of state to throw their weight behind the veteran opposition leader, citing his exceptional leadership qualities.

Why did Atwoli defect to Kenya Kwanza?

Furthermore, Atwoli noted that his own decision to switch allegiance from the Azimio coalition to the Kenya Kwanza government was carefully considered, with all necessary steps for presidential confirmation completed.

He underscored that his friendship with Odinga extends beyond politics, as their families share a close relationship.

"It is not only politics. Raila is my brother-in-law and everybody knows that. Even if we disagree, for instance, I moved first from Azimio and I was the first person to congratulate William Ruto. And all our people who remained behind came up with politics of betrayal and I replied, we have been defeated. We could not go back and reclaim the victory. All the stages of confirmation of the new president had been carried out.

What else you need to know about Raila's AU bid

• Djibouti has fielded another candidate to challenge Raila's AUC bid in the 2025 elections
• Azimio's leader shared a list of presidents who had vowed to support his interest in leading the AU commission
• The President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, also endorsed Raila Odinga to contest the AUC position
• A Kisumu man has wished that the ODM party leader lose the AUC contest

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Francis Atwoli (centred) shared William Ruto's (right frame) reaction to Raila's AUC bid (left frame).

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