President William Ruto received public backing from Raila Odinga Junior on Tuesday during a visit to Kibra, where he was accompanied to several development projects and institutions, with Raila Jnr linking the support to ongoing education initiatives associated with his family.
Speaking at the Raila Odinga Education Centre, Raila Jnr said the government had played a key role in strengthening learning infrastructure in Lang’ata constituency, stressing that education remained central to the values his late father stood for.
“I would like to say thank you very much, Your Excellency and the government, for helping us here at Raila Odinga Centre because Baba believed education is the lifeline, it's what grows people from poverty. And as Baba's family, we believe that education is the most important thing to all of us here,” he said.
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He also welcomed the President to Kibra and expressed support for continued government projects in the area.
“This is what uplifts us, so we say to Your Excellency, asante sana. Tumeshukuru kama watu wa Kibira, tunakukaribisha huku, uendelee kuja huku uendelee na maendeleo. Sisi watu wa Kibira tumeshukuru na tutakussuport.”
The Raila Odinga Education Centre, launched in 2016, was established to expand access to learning in Kibra, one of Nairobi’s most densely populated informal settlements. It serves thousands of learners and is equipped with modern classrooms and digital learning facilities.
The institution was developed after relocating a school that previously stood near a railway line, with funding drawn from international partners, the Constituency Development Fund, and contributions linked to the Odinga family.
President William Ruto at the Raila Odinga Education Centre,Kibra on April 28, 2026.PHOTO/PCSDuring the visit, Ruto also inspected the Soweto Kibera Affordable Housing Project and toured several schools, including Ayany Primary School, where he commissioned a new 10-classroom block.
Raila Jnr’s remarks come at a politically sensitive time following the death of Raila Odinga on October 15, 2025.
Before his death, the former Prime Minister had shifted his political stance towards Ruto, moving from opposition to cooperation and agreeing to support his administration at least up to 2027.
That shift has since created divisions within the Orange Democratic Movement, with one faction led by Oburu Oginga maintaining that the support extends beyond 2027, while another aligned with Edwin Sifuna has opposed the arrangement.
Raila Jnr, who has kept a relatively low political profile compared to his sister Winnie, was formally recognised as the family head after his father’s burial in Bondo in line with Luo customs.
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