President Ruto praises Raila for patriotism and self-sacrifice for Kenya

President William Ruto said that history will judge former Prime Minister Raila Odinga fairly because of his patriotism. Ruto said that every time the country calls, Raila has taken difficult path for the sake of a united nation. The president added that he is proud their paths crossed. The President said when the ODM leader chose to work with him, he did so purely for the benefit of the entire country as opposed to his personal interests. Ruto said that history is going to judge Raila fairly, adding that the ODM party leader has always stood for the nation. Ruto spoke in Ndori, Saiya County on Saturday, April 12 at the burial of Raila’s long-serving aide and bodyguard George Oduor. Oduor, 57, passed away on Wednesday, April 2, at a hospital in Nairobi after a short illness. He had been Raila’s bodyguard since 1995. Ruto noted that together with Raila, they have come a long way. He said that at no time did he think that the man he once worked under would one day become his opponent and eventually the anchor behind his leadership. Ruto said that he was grateful that just the same way he stood with Raila when you needed a man to stand with him in 2007 is the same way Raila stood with him when he needed a man to stand with him. Ruto, who was with Raila in ODM during the 2007 post-election violence that saw Raila becoming the country's prime minister, was referring to the 2024 Gen-Z protests in Kenya.