Businessman Jimmy Wanjigi arrived at Nasa leader Raila Odinga’s Bondo home with gifts ahead of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s arrival for breakfast on the second day of his Nyanza tour. The gifts were received by Raila’s wife Ida Odinga.
It is a change of fortunes for Wanjigi who bitterly fell out with the Jubilee administration despite playing an anchor role in the party’s formation ahead of the 2013 elections. He has previously indicated that even the formation of the inaugural Cabinet was formulated at his Runda home.
Wanjigi is said to have differed with Uhuru and Deputy President William Ruto after he was sidelined from the implementation of the Standard Gauge Railway, which was his brainchild.
The businessman bore the brunt of a State-sponsored investigation before and after last year’s general election.
He is currently fighting a case in which he is accused of being in possession of guns illegally.
At one point, Raila had to keep an overnight vigil in Wanjigi’s house to stop his arrest.
However, things have changed since the March 9 handshake between President Uhuru and Raila. In November, he was a surprise guest when Ruto hosted Uhuru and Raila for lunch at his Karen home after attending a memorial service for the former Maendeleo ya Wanawake chairperson, Jane Kiano at the ACK St. Francis Church.
Wanjigi was driven to the Karen lunch date in one of Raila’s vehicles.
Mama @IdaOdinga and I are pleased to host President @UKenyatta and other distinguished guests for breakfast at our home in Bondo this morning. pic.twitter.com/pYkGRVPljk
— Raila Odinga (@RailaOdinga) December 14, 2018
Raila’s elder brother, Oburu Oginga also told the Star that Uhuru will visit the home, known as Kang’o ka Jaramogi, for blessings after attending a graduation ceremony at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University and also to pay tribute to his the ODM leader’s late son, Fidel.
The MP said the first time Uhuru visited Jaramogi’s resting place was when he was the Gatundu MP.
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“I had invited him for a harambee at Nyamira Girls’ High School, a few metres from our rural home when he decided to pass by for the blessing before he scooped the presidency seat in 2013,” Oburu said.
