Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has revealed that the Memorandum of Understanding between UDA and ODM was to be signed in Mombasa following his return from Addis Ababa.
Speaking during the signing of the agreement at KICC on Friday, March 7, the ODM boss detailed that he was presented with the agreement that had been drafted by a select team of the two parties while at State House Mombasa.
However, he declined to sign the deal, informing President William Ruto and his team that he needed to consult his party members first.
Raila added that he then commenced nationwide consultations, affirming that the move to sign the deal was informed by the comments he collected from his allies and supporters.
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"At that time, I found that the two teams had worked on some document that they wanted to be signed. I told them I cannot sign this document until I have consulted my people," he stated.
"So I took time. I went to Kisumu and met with Professor Anyang' Nyong'o, and I met with the leadership and elders. I went to Siaya, Homabay, Migori, Busia. I went to the Coast and went to Wajir. Yesterday, I was in Kisii, Narok and Nairobi. I managed to get the feeling of my people."
Meanwhile, he reiterated that the deal was not political but based on their resolve to address the challenges facing the country.
As part of the agreement, he announced that the ODM party would be pushing for county governments to receive a minimum of Ksh450 billion in the upcoming budget.
He added that tackling unemployment, rising cost of living, and abuses of human rights were part of the deals in the MoU.
"In this MOU, we agree to embark on steps to realign the country's economic, social and political priorities to address the youth agenda that has progressively fallen behind in the last 62 years of our independence," Raila added.
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