Ekuru Aukot slams Raila’s dialogue push as a waste of time and resources
Thirdway Alliance party leader Ekuru Aukot has launched a scathing attack on the recent calls for national dialogue by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, dismissing the initiative as futile and a distraction from Kenya’s deeper political rot.
With the nation on edge and trust in institutions at a low, Aukot says the public is increasingly disillusioned with what they see as performative politics.
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Speaking during an interview on a local TV station on Monday, July 14, 2025, Aukot labelled the much-hyped dialogue forums as a complete waste of time and public resources.
“Raila’s call for dialogue is a diversion, a waste of time and resources. It will achieve nothing. Kenya’s politics was commercialised a long time ago, and it revolves around the same people,” he said.
“And that is why Kenyans have refused to move away from certain names and personalities. We keep recycling the same leaders and expect different results. That is the definition of insanity.”
Aukot, who ran for president in 2017 and has been a vocal critic of successive regimes, accused the government of orchestrating chaos to suppress dissent and justify repressive actions.
“The government is manufacturing the state of anarchy to justify the killings and abductions,” he said, referencing the recent spate of reported extrajudicial disappearances and police brutality during anti-government protests.
The Thirdway honcho, a constitutional lawyer and key architect of the 2010 Constitution, also cast doubt on the effectiveness of Parliament, calling it toothless and beholden to the Executive.
“You cannot bring an impeachment motion against the president because currently, Parliament is an extension of the Executive. There is no independence, no oversight, just blind loyalty and rubber-stamping,” he asserted.
His remarks come at a time when Raila Odinga and President William Ruto’s troops have both signalled a willingness to initiate dialogue, ostensibly to calm political temperatures and address national issues. But Aukot dismissed the overtures as theatrical and self-serving.
“Dialogue for what, and with whom?” he posed. “Kenyans are tired of elite pacts that serve the same political dynasties. We need a conversation about ordinary Kenyans about jobs, food, justice, not elite handshakes.”
