Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has strongly denied allegations that the Indian conglomerate Adani Group funded Raila Odinga’s 2012 presidential campaign, with him as the running mate. Kalonzo made these remarks on Citizen TV’s The Explainer on Tuesday night, clarifying that he had no knowledge of any involvement by the Adani Group, chaired by billionaire Gautam Adani.
During the interview, Kalonzo stated that he had never met anyone from the Adani Group. He added that, as Raila Odinga’s running mate in the 2012 election, he was not privy to the campaign’s financial details. “I have no idea who Adani is. I wouldn’t know, how would I know? I have never met them,” Kalonzo declared, distancing himself from any connections with the company.
Kalonzo further explained the nature of presidential campaigns, where candidates manage their finances separately. He noted that even though a presidential ticket legally binds both the candidate and the running mate, there is no obligation to disclose campaign funds to each other.
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“When you have a presidential candidate, how they organize their finances is entirely up to them. I never asked Raila Odinga about the amount of money he had or how much he raised,” he said.
Kalonzo also drew comparisons with the current Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, suggesting that Gachagua might not be aware of President William Ruto’s campaign funding sources. According to Kalonzo, being a running mate does not mean sharing financial responsibilities or fundraising efforts.
“Maybe Gachagua didn’t know how Ruto funded his campaign. Just because you are a running mate, it doesn’t mean all the money comes from one basket. It is a joint ticket, but not joint finances,” Kalonzo pointed out.
For him, the focus during the 2012 election was securing victory for Raila Odinga, not managing campaign funds.
“My mind was focused on getting Raila to become President of Kenya. I trusted his ability to fundraise and handle his finances,” Kalonzo added.
Kalonzo Urges Senator Maanzo to Apologize for Adani Allegations
Kalonzo also addressed the controversial remarks made by Makueni Senator Dan Maanzo, who claimed that the Adani Group had financially supported Raila Odinga’s 2012 campaign. Maanzo had further alleged that both President Ruto and Odinga were bribed millions by the Adani Group.
Kalonzo revealed that he had advised the Senator to issue an apology to Raila Odinga. “I have called Dan Maanzo and told him to apologize to Baba because he is still the party leader as of now,” Kalonzo said.
Maanzo’s comments came after Raila Odinga defended the Adani Group’s business operations in Kenya, stating that the company had a solid track record. Raila, who met the Adani Group through Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he was Chief Minister of Gujarat, praised the conglomerate’s transformative projects in Gujarat and Mumbai during his tenure as Kenya’s Prime Minister.
