The loss of Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance presidential candidate Raila Odinga has left government officials including Cabinet Secretaries and Permanent Secretaries orphaned after extinguishing their hopes of continuing to remain in government.
Some of the Cabinet Secretaries were openly supporting Raila Odinga saying they were following the instructions of their boss President Uhuru Kenyatta who is the chairman of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance.
Raila Odinga had promised to reward the Cabinet Secretaries if he won the presidency and formed a government.
Raila had already proposed to appoint Agriculture CS Peter Munya to continue holding the post. Other ministers who were not hiding their political support for Raila Odinga include Internal Security CS Dr Fred Matiang’i, ICT CS Joe Mucheru, Keriako Tobiko of Environment, Eugene Wamalwa of Defense and Raphael Tuju.
Finance CS Ukur Yatani was also supporting the Azimio movement.
Speaking in Kisumu in December 2021, CS Matiang’i said that he did not need anyone’s permission to support Mr Odinga as he was following his elder brother President Kenyatta.
“We are one and we have talked and agreed that Raila will be our leader. We are united as Nyanza people,” Mr Matiangi said.
Interior Permanent Secretary Dr. Karanja Kibicho and the head of the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) George Kinoti also appeared to be in favor of Azimio in the steps they took in carrying out their duties.
COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli and former Deputy Chairman of the Jubilee party David Murathe are others individuals who have been orphaned by the loss of Raila Odinga.
Atwoli was in the front row to promote Raila Odinga’s presidential bid and would from time to time claim that the former prime minister would be the fifth president of Kenya.