ODM presidential aspirant Jimm Wanjigi has claimed that the former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has greatly changed from the person he knew since the early ’90s.
Speaking over the weekend, during Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka’s Yatta meeting, the businessman-cum-politician said the modern-day Raila is not the same Raila who is credited with Kenya’s fight for democracy.
“I got to know my brother Raila Amolo Odinga in 1991 and he has not done anything wrong to me, but the Raila I see on TV these days is not the same Raila I have known all those years. That is not the Raila who fought for this country’s democracy,” Wanjigi said.
In the run-up to the 2017 presidential election, Jimmy Wanjigi was considered Raila Odinga’s key ally and financier as the ODM leader vied for the presidency a fourth time.
The businessman is said to have heavily invested in Raila’s presidential campaigns the same way he had invested in President Uhuru’s 2013 presidential campaign before. they fell out shortly after he won the top seat.
But as they say in politics, there are no permanent friends or enemies, just interest.
Raila and Wanjigi’s relationship soured after the ODM leader struck a working relationship with President Uhuru in early 2018 in what has commonly been referred to as the handshake.
Wanjigi is now considered Raila’s competition for the ODM presidential ticket ahead of the August presidential election.
Although ODM Director of Election and Suna East MP Junet Muhamed revealed that jimmy has not paid the necessary fee to be considered a presidential aspirant, the businessman insists he wants to challenge Raila for the ticket.
“I am very clear in my politics. There is a season for everything and you can’t keep having a season for Raila Amollo Odinga,” Wanjigi said in the Saturday, January 15 meeting at Kalonzo’s home in Ukambani where Kalonzo was endorsed as Wiper Party presidential candidate.
On Monday, January 17, heavily armed police officers stormed the offices of Jimmy Wanjigi in Westlands, Nairobi.
Wanjigi confirmed the raid saying that the armed officers gained access to the premise and refused to talk to his lawyers, demanding only to see him.
“This evening at around 9.30 we were told that CID officers are at the gate. They were asked what they want and they said they just want me. The officers were asked whether they can see a lawyer and they said no,” he narrated.
He later surrendered to police 18 hours later on Tuesday, January 18, and Kivumbi.co.ke understands he has been arrested due in connection to a 2010 fraud case against him.
