President Uhuru Kenyatta's right hand man David Murathe insists that ODM leader Raila Odinga must remain in politics despite the pressure to quit.
A day after Raila's appointment as AU High Representative for Infrastructural Development, a section of Jubilee leaders led by Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro insited the Mr. Odinga should now out of national politics.
"He has gotten a big job now. Let him leave local politics. His league is now continental thus my appeal to him is that he should quit voluntarily," he said.
Mr. Odinga is set to have offices in Nairobi, Abuja, Cairo, Addis Ababa and Johannesburg where he will easily coordinate staff under his docket.
But Jubilee Vice Chair Mr. Murathe says that Raila has a right to use the handshake goodwill with President Uhuru Kenyatta to contest in 2022.
“How many people have taken advantage of these international jobs to vie for local posts? What can stop Raila from running for any elective seat?” asked Mr Murathe, the Jubilee vice-chairman.
“If Raila uses the unity deal between him and the President to run for leadership, that is none of our business. We must, however, say that we are proud as a country because one of our own is now in charge of infrastructural development in Africa,” he added.
Already, a section of ODM leaders have rubbished calls to have Mr. Odinga exit the stage, arguing that his responsibilities would not affect his participation in local politics.
"It is not our problem that those pushing for Raila’s retirement cannot multitask like him. Raila will continue playing his role in Kenyan politics even if he is appointed the planet's ambassador to the galaxy," said ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna.