MPs allied to President William Ruto have told Opposition leader Raila Odinga to protest, breathe fire and stamp his feet as much as he wants but there will never be handshake.
Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro and his Thika Town counterpart Alice Ng’ang’a have even dared Raila to scale up the anti-government protests to day and night.
The two Kenya Kwanza MPs, speakng for others, said that even if the Azimio leader adds ‘night shift’ protests, there won’t be a handshake between him and President William Ruto.
Some Azimio leaders disagree.
Speaking during the prize-giving ceremony at Thika High School on Saturday, the lawmakers said that said that Raila is using innocent Kenyans to cause mayhem in the country.
He is using the Monday and Thursday weekly demonstrations, to force a meeting and a handshake with the President.
“Talks about creating and running the government ended on August 9, 2022, when Kenyans made their decision on the ballot. Those seeking to get into the government through chaos and pandemonium should wait until 2027. We won’t allow chaotic people into the government,” Nyoro said.
Similar comments were made in Eldoret where Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi said no amount of mass action protests will force President Ruto into a handshake with Raila.
Sudi said the Kenya Kwanza administration will remain unshaken even if Raila were to lead protests for a year.
“We have said handshake Tawe Tawe ("No No") and you can be on the streets for as long as you want but expect no benefits,” Sudi said.
The MP who was speaking at his home in Eldoret along with several UDA MCAs said some of the church leaders pushing for dialogue between Odinga and Ruto should instead ask Odinga to retire and go home.
“If they want dialogue to discus Odinga’s retirement package then we are ready,” Sudi said.
He said Raila has only two options including to retire or play his role as the opposition leader but not expect a backdoor entry into government.
Sudi has also asked Odinga to groom a successor and quit politics instead of engaging the country in destructive protests.
The UDA lawmakers said it has become a habit of the ODM leader to protest in every election cycle, adding that the Kenya Kwanza government won’t give in to his theatrics.
Nyoro said that Raila claims to be advancing the interests of the people but he always abandons the fight once he is given a chance to join the government.
“He’s just pushing for his own selfish interests and he’s misleading his followers to cause chaos. Kenya is a democratic country that allows everyone to seek an elective post after every five years. This time it passed him [Raila] and therefore he should wait until the next general election and try his luck,” he said.
MP Ng’ang’a claimed that some Azimio leaders have already crafted how they will be given Cabinet Secretary posts should they manage to force dialogue and possibly a handshake with President Ruto.
“Some of them are governors in their regions, but they should forget about it because the Kenya Kwanza government is constituted completely. This is the time of working and delivering to Kenyans,” she said.
Ng’ang’a said that the opposition should allow the President to lead the nation to greater heights noting that Kenyans are concerned with lowering the cost of living and getting sufficient farm inputs during this rainy season among others.
“We cannot achieve this through violence that is leading to destruction of properties and loss of lives. Wait for your time in 2027 and let Ruto lead this country towards transformation and growth,” she said.
MP Nyoro, however, told the Azimio leaders that since they are parents and wouldn’t want their children hurt in afracas, they should call off the protests and urge their followers to return to work.
“Throwing stones and burning properties will not deliver anything anywhere, going to work will,” Nyoro said.
Raila has declared that there will be "the mother of all" demonstrations on Monday.
(Edited by V. Graham)