Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party Leader Raila Odinga was on the receiving end of Kenyans’ wrath after stating that he would be accompanying President Uhuru Kenyatta to China to secure a Ksh380 billion Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) loan.
Speaking on Saturday, Mr Odinga noted that the Beijing trip would enable the country to acquire the Ksh368 billion loan from the Chinese government.
According to Mr Odinga, the loan will help revive the Kisumu inland port which for a long while now it had been dormant due to the dilapidated railway.
Odinga spoke in Kisumu affirming, “I will be part of the delegation that will accompany the President to the Asian country next week.
“The new SGR line will extend from Naivasha to Narok, Bomet, Sondu and finally Kisumu,” he concluded.
Read: President Uhuru Set to Travel to China to Secure Ksh380 Billion Loan
However, Kenyans are not happy with the trip and change of tune for Raila, who talked tough on ‘excess’ loans being secured by the country in the name of development.
Here are some reaction:-
https://twitter.com/mike_wamunyiny1/status/1119852351618211840
#Raila is Uhuru Kenyatta's toolbox these days. Times changed. I pity the ODM-NASA demonstrators who sacrificed their lives for Baba.
— Brandcom Consulting (@bclgroupafrica) April 21, 2019
https://twitter.com/OmbuiJr/status/1119921493801144320
https://twitter.com/yourspenfully/status/1119922467890442242
https://twitter.com/towettke/status/1119911891210518528
President Kenyatta and his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni recently affirmed the two countries’ commitment to sticking to the original plan of stretching the SGR all the way to Kampala.
According to reports, officials from the Treasury, Kenya Railways Corporation, the Transport Ministry and the State Law Office met last week to finalise on the details of acquiring the loan ahead of the trip.
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