Raila counters Ruto's remarks on truce deal

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga on Friday denied claims by Deputy President William Ruto that he approached him first for the handshake before eventually striking a political truce with President Uhuru Kenyatta.

At a meeting with Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) delegates ahead of the public rally today, Mr Odinga clarified that at no point did he seek Mr Ruto’s help after the 2017 election.

“I saw someone saying that I looked for him before I approached (President) Uhuru. I did not approach anyone. It was an agreement between me and the President,” said Mr Odinga in a direct reply to the claims made by Dr Ruto on Thursday evening during an interview with NTV.

This was not the first time Mr Ruto was making the claims.

BBI PURPOSE

Last April, he said that Mr Odinga made several overtures to him, on phone and through emissaries, seeking an engagement but he declined since he did not believe his sincerity.

“Raila Odinga approached me four times to have a discussion but I declined. I told him we have only one centre of command … I informed the President, whom I told I would not engage Raila,” he said.

Mr Ruto has never hidden his disdain for the handshake, accusing Mr Odinga of attempting to use it to break up Jubilee.

He accuses the former prime minister of ‘chasing him out of ODM’ and following him in Jubilee to do the same.

Mr Kenyatta and Mr Odinga have never opened up on who exactly brokered the deal that has since changed the country’s political architecture following the birth of the BBI.

Mr Odinga reiterated that BBI was not a tool to help him become president nor create the prime minister’s post for President Uhuru Kenyatta, as some politicians from the DP’s side have claimed in the past.

NATIONAL UNITY

Mr Odinga termed the assertions by his competitors as propaganda.

“We have not brought BBI so that I become president or for Uhuru to become prime minister. Do not listen to that propaganda. Our main motive was to unite Kenyans through a national conversation,” said Mr Odinga.

He explained how the handshake came about and stressed that the BBI forums were important as a way of achieving national unity.

Mr Odinga, who was accompanied by five Coast governors namely Hassan Joho (Mombasa), Amason Kingi (Kilifi), Dhadho Godhana (Tana River), Fahim Twaha (Lamu) and Granton Samboja of Taita-Taveta told the delegates to give their concerns priority and agree on what is to be presented in today’s meeting.

“This is an opportunity for the coastal people to speak on what affects them. There are acres of land lying idle here with some people laying claim to them yet they belong to the coastal people. These are some of the issues that we need addressed,” he said.

EXPECTATIONS

He said the BBI was the only tool that could settle issues affecting the country and through which Kenyans can claim their democracy and unity.

Mr Joho echoed his party boss’s remarks, saying the BBI discussions are a golden opportunity for the coastal people to articulate issues affecting them.

“We have for long been crying out about marginalisation; this is an opportunity for us to talk about our fishermen, our farmers and the resources we have. This is an objective and meaningful conversation that we must be part of,” said Mr Joho.

Mr Kingi warned that the meetings were not for politicians to settle scores, but a rally for the people.

“Let us all put our differences aside and speak in one voice as coastal people. The factions have come and they will go, but the origin of our region is here to stay. Problems do not select which group you belong to,” said Mr Kingi.