The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) has responded to claims by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga that he intervened to prevent a military coup against President William Ruto.
In a statement released on Monday, March 17, the Ministry of Defence has dismissed the claims saying that they are false, baseless, unfounded, misleading, and reckless.
Further, the Soipan Tuya-led ministry has denied the existence of such a plot and criticized the media for ‘unverified claims from an anonymous source.’
According to Defence CS Soipan Tuya, the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) remains loyal to the Commander-in-Chief and is committed to upholding national security and constitutional integrity.
“The articles which cite an undisclosed source allege that former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, in an exclusive interview, claimed he prevented a military coup against His Excellency the President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces.”
“The Ministry categorically states that the claims in the newspaper articles are false, baseless, unfounded, misleading, and indeed reckless,” CS Soipan Tuya stated.
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KDF Goes After Nation
The allegations were published in Sunday Nation and Taifa Jumapili, with articles quoting an undisclosed source claiming that Odinga played a role in stopping an alleged coup attempt.
The statement explained that KDF is loyal to the Commander-in-Chief and its duty to safeguard the security and well-being of Kenya and her people.
Additionally, CS Tuya stated that the KDF is free from political influence or sectarian interests.
Therefore, the Ministry has noted that the publications by Nation Media Group, written based on unverified claims from an anonymous source, are irresponsible and unpatriotic.
According to the MoD, it is an example of unethical journalism that undermines public confidence in national security institutions.
“The Ministry urges Nation Media Group to uphold the principles of ethical journalism by ensuring accuracy, fairness, and responsibility in reporting, especially on matters of national security,” added the statement.
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What Did Raila Say?
According to the Nation publication, Raila revealed that the deployment of the military during the anti-Finance Bill protests by Gen Z in June 2024 could have turned into a coup.
Furthermore, the former prime minister stated in the article that he had to step in to prevent an imminent military takeover.
He explained that the government’s decision to call in the military to end the protests was a mistake that could have resulted in soldiers assuming control of the country’s leadership.
“If the military had taken over, then Ruto would not be in power today. Once soldiers leave the barracks, they never go back, The country was on the brink. If the protests had continued the way they were, the military would have taken over, and that would have been the end of civilian rule,” Raila was quoted in the article.
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