Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho now says he did not betray Kenyans by joining President William Ruto’s Cabinet.
In an interview with Obinna TV on Monday, Joho explained that his appointment was a positive step as it allowed him to contribute effectively to the government’s work.
“I don’t think we betrayed anybody. There are two options in politics. The first is to hold the government accountable, as the opposition does, and the second is to create change from the inside,” he said.
Joho further explained that when allowed to make a difference in an institution, one should take it.
“So, there is no betrayal. What matters is what we are able to do now because we have been given the opportunity,” he added.
He also pointed out that if Azimio leader Raila Odinga had succeeded in becoming president, they would have formed a government.
Now that they have the opportunity to be part of the government, Joho emphasised the importance of being able to implement some of Azimio’s manifesto.
The former governor insisted that his decision to join the government was not a betrayal of Kenyans.
“There is no betrayal. We have only one Kenya and one government at a time,” he said.
When asked if his perception of the President had changed, Joho affirmed that he now sees Ruto as his president and boss, acknowledging that political dynamics are complex.
Joho reflected on their past collaboration, noting that this was not the first time they had worked together within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party.
He recalled that when he was a lawmaker in 2007, Ruto served as ODM’s deputy party leader.
“It is not strange. We have worked together before,” he added.
Joho’s shift from being one of Ruto’s fiercest critics to a supporter, ready to defend the government’s agenda, marked a significant change in his political stance.
His praise for Ruto and the Kenya Kwanza administration contrasts sharply with his stance two years ago when he vowed not to support the President.