President William Ruto on Tuesday, July 25 took his allies by surprise after extending an olive branch to former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, upsetting a section of his coalition.
In reaction to Ruto’s statement some of the allies led by Kiharu Member of Parliament Ndindi Nyoro welcomed the decision even as they maintained that the talks should not involve sharing government.
Nyoro indicated that the President was committed to ensuring that there was peace in the country given the recent protests witnessed in the country.
“Protests and dialogue are not a route to any kind of government. We can talk about everything else apart from power sharing and opening the decision Kenyans made on August 2022.
“What the President is communicating is that State House is a public place. He is always open to listening to Kenyans from all walks of life but rarely encourages people to see him through brokerage,” he stated.
National Assembly Leader of Majority Kimani Ichung’wah and Digital strategist Dennis Itumbi took a swipe at Raila and Former President Uhuru Kenyatta over the need for a mediator to be involved.
“Suddenly everyone wants to meet with you, even the one who 11 months ago didn’t even want to shake your hand nor talk to you now wants to and call you his President
“It is well, some progress. Happy that Raila has recovered from the flu but when did he start working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or as State House spokesperson?” Ichung’wah posed,” Ichung’wah stated.
Analysts have remarked that efforts to bring the two leaders to the negotiating table have been hampered by hardliners in their inner circles.
Ichung’wah and Nyoro are close allies and are likely to oppose any effort that would put Raila’s foot into the government.
Ruto on Tuesday, July 25, made a surprise request to the opposition leader, signaling a political truce that seemed impossible as Azimio mobilised their supporters against the State while the ruling coalition went after key figures on the opposing side to puncture the momentum.
The request for talks came just hours after Raila had revealed that Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu was in the country recently to mediate but she left frustrated after she was kept waiting for two days.
Raila is pushing the government to lower the cost of living, stop courting opposition politicians in a bid to weaken Azimio’s numbers in parliament and forensic audit of last year’s general election.
The ODM boss is yet to respond to the olive branch extended to him.
