I’m ready to work with you, President Kenyatta tells Cord leader Raila Odinga

President Kenyatta on Tuesday held out the olive branch, telling Opposition leader Raila Odinga that he was ready to work with him.

The President said Kenya needed development, and he was ready to work with Mr Odinga to achieve this.

After months of public squabbling from the time the Cord alliance launched its push for a referendum, the gesture from the President was delivered at the first face-to-face encounter between the rival leaders, since Mr Odinga’s return from the United States.

UNNECESSARY FIGHTS

The President, the Opposition leader and former President Mwai Kibaki, met during a funeral service for former Cabinet Minister Njoroge Mungai at Thogoto’s PCEA Church of the Torch in Kikuyu, Kiambu County.

“I can see my brother Raila here, and I can assure him that I have no problem. I look forward to working with him and I believe that is what Kenyan people want of us. To pull together just like leaders of the past did,” the President said.

He added that there should be no time for squabbles and unnecessary fights among leaders as they should work together for development.

The tone for the conciliatory gesture was set by Mr Kibaki, who in his remarks, asked leaders to work together.

Addressing President Kenyatta and Mr Odinga, he said: “Squabbling amongst yourselves, you will not achieve very much.”

Mr Kibaki praised his successor’s leadership, saying he is confident that he will deliver.

He said that for the short time Mr Kenyatta has been in office, he has spearheaded many development projects.

Mr Odinga, who spoke before the President, steered clear of politics.

He praised Dr Mungai, whom he said played key roles in politics and entrepreneurship as well as in the fight for education.

Mr Odinga returned from the United States at the end of May after a three-month lecture and study tour to reinvigorate the opposition with demands for national dialogue on critical national issues such as insecurity, devolution, youth unemployment and tribalism in public appointments.

After President Kenyatta and the Jubilee leadership rejected the demands for dialogue, the Opposition raised the stakes at the Saba Saba rally in July, launching the push for a referendum through the Okoa Kenya Movement.

A MILLION SIGNATURES

The campaign that the Jubilee coalition has opposed, has raised political tensions and put the country in electioneering mode.

Cord has launched a drive to collect one million signatures in order to force through a people’s petition for a referendum that by-passes Parliament in which the Jubilee has the majority.

Former Gatundu MP Ngengi Muigai, President Kenyatta’s cousin, had earlier delivered apparent criticism of Mr Odinga, saying, leaders who were in high school in the 60s should let the young generation, which he referred to as Jubilee, to lead.

He told the President not to accept any form of power-sharing, saying, the Jubilee team did not get it on a silver platter.

“They overcame internal and external forces to get to leadership. We are sure you will achieve the dreams you have for this country and I have no doubt this will take this nation higher.”

President Kenyatta described Dr Mungai, a relative and powerful minister in the government of President Jomo Kenyatta, as a mentor, a friend and a father figure who helped him on both personal and political matters.

He asked the young generation to emulate him by dedicating themselves towards serving the nation without necessarily being driven by money.

Leaders who were present, among them Cabinet Secretaries, did not get a chance to speak.

The leaders included Kiambu Governor William Kabogo and Senator Kimani Wamatangi, MPs Kimani Ichungwa (Kikuyu), Paul Koinange (Kiambaa), John Kirangu (Limuru), Moses Ole Sakuda (Kajiado North), Moses Kuria (Gatundu South).

Dr Mungai died after a short illness. His body was cremated at the Langata Cemetery.