Former Prime Minister and ODM party leader Raila Odinga has dismissed any suggestion that Rigathi Gachagua could offer a better alternative to President William Ruto, saying Kenya’s problems cannot be solved by simply replacing one leader with another.

Addressing mourners on Saturday in Bomet, Odinga said Gachagua’s tenure as Deputy President did not show any promise of transformative leadership.

“Even if you make Rigathi Gachagua the next president, there is no big difference he will bring to this country. We need to do things afresh,” Odinga said during the funeral service.

He stated that the deep-rooted issues facing the country required inclusive national dialogue and solutions that involve all citizens rather than individuals seeking power. Odinga also pointed out that Gachagua’s track record in office lacked evidence of effective leadership.

The ODM leader stressed that Kenya needs a reset in governance and policy direction, not just new faces in leadership. He also used the opportunity to warn young people against being misled into destructive actions during protests.

“We should talk so that we can know where the problem is. Protests and chants of 'Ruto Must Go' will not solve the problems. Even if Ruto leaves office, it will not solve the challenges,” he said.

Odinga called for national unity and cautioned against allowing protests to be hijacked by criminal elements. He maintained that true reform would only come through genuine conversations about the Constitution and governance structures.

“We know that our Constitution has some minor gaps that need to be addressed. That is the reason I told Kenyans that now is the right time for us to hold a national conversation,” he added.

His remarks came just hours after Gachagua, while speaking to Kenyans in the United States, dismissed Odinga’s calls for dialogue. Gachagua criticised the former Prime Minister, accusing him of engaging in past talks that never yielded results.

“Raila is irrelevant in the political discourse because every election cycle, he loses and finds his way into government. He wants to be in government but doesn't want responsibility,” Gachagua said.

He further accused Odinga of using dialogue as a political strategy to gain access to power rather than to offer genuine solutions.

Odinga, however, reiterated that the country’s problems were bigger than any one individual and urged Kenyans not to allow themselves to be used by self-serving politicians.