Why Kenya government was wary of Raila – Magufuli close links

The friendship between Kenya’s opposition leader Raila Amolo Odinga and the departed Tanzania president John Pombe Magufuli got the government of Kenya worried about their strong ties. 

During 2017 general elections, it was alleged that Raila had explored his closeness with Magufuli to establish a parallel tallying center in Tanzania. These revelations sent jitters down the spine of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party. 

Raila acknowledged his friendship with Magufuli and described him as a worthy ally who stood with him at times of difficulties. Before his election as Tanzania President, Magufuli attended ODM’s national convention, which endorsed Raila’s presidential bid, at Kasarani in 2012.

Magufuli would later on attend the burial of Raila’s first born son Fidel at his Bondo rural home in 2015. At the funeral he represented the then Tanzania president Jakaya Mwerishe Kikwete. Raila too came to the consolation of Magufuli when he lost a sister in 2018.

After Magufuli’s election as a president, Raila was the first international visitor to be invited at his Chato home in 2016. During the visit, Raila was accompanied by his wife Ida and daughter Winnie. The ODM leader would later visit the departed president in January 2019.

Magufuli had deep belief that his friend Raila was best suited to lead Kenya. Theirs was a friendship of trust and support. In reciprocation, Raila celebrated Magufuli’s victory in 2015 and praised his style of leadership.

Prior to the 2017 general elections, when Raila was asked how he would deal with corrupt State officials, his vintage reply was, “I will Magufuli them,” a revelation that Raila liked his friend’s no-nonsense approach of battling graft. 

Both Raila and Magufuli served as Minister for Roads, serving during different times. Magufuli earned the nickname of a ‘bulldozer’ in recognition of the many road projects he initiated. Similarly, Raila shared the same reputation while serving as Roads Minister in Mwai Kibaki’s regime.

When he was Kenya’s Roads Minister, Raila managed to demolish most of the apartments that were constructed along road reserves.

 Magufuli’s death remains a big blow to the doyen of kenya’s opposition politics. Previously, he lost his Zimbabwean ally, Morgan Tsvangirai.