Cherargei Questions Ruto's Loyalty

UDA Senator Cherargei on Saturday, February 15, shared a moment when President William Ruto and Raila Odinga rode together in the same car as they headed to the African Union (AU) headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

In his statement, Senator Cherargei reflected on Ruto's political history with Raila, noting, "In 2007, H.E Ruto campaigned hard and voted for Baba Raila.

He added, Now in 2025, he is campaigning hard and shall vote for Raila in the African Union chairmanship today, something Raila has never done for HE Ruto."

He further expressed optimism about Raila’s chances of winning, adding, "I hope in the near future Baba Raila atarudisha mkono because he shall win today AUC chairmanship."

Cherargei's remarks come in the wake of comments by MP Gitonga Mukunji, who suggested that President Ruto is more "desperate" for Raila to clinch the AU Chairmanship than Raila himself.

Mukunji pointed out that Raila remains a formidable political force and could still be a major challenger to Ruto in the 2027 general elections.

According to Mukunji, if Raila secures the AU seat, it would be a significant political advantage for Ruto, potentially reducing opposition threats ahead of the next election cycle.

Meanwhile, President Ruto has been actively engaging with African heads of state in Addis Ababa before the AU Commission elections.

He also met with outgoing AU Commission Chair Moussa Faki, whom Raila is seeking to succeed.

Raila is facing competition from Djibouti’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf and Madagascar’s former Foreign Affairs Minister Richard Randriamandrato.

The election process requires a two-thirds majority vote from AU member states, with the exception of those under military rule.