Siaya Senator James Orengo has dismissed assumptions that President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM party leader Raila Odinga are not on good terms.
Orengo said the handshake is solid, adding that those reading between the lines are reading it all wrong and with malice.
The senator was addressing faithful at Nyagondo Catholic Church on Sunday in Gem where he donated a piano and Sh200,000 for church development.
He said the aim of the handshake was to bring unity, stability, and peace to the country after the acrimonious 2017 General Election.
Orengo insisted that the handshake had nothing to do with the 2022 elections formation as some of the 'anti-development' leaders are purporting.
“The handshake and BBI are not supposed to help push politicians into leadership position but to build a united country ahead of the 2022 General Election,” Orengo said.
He said those speculating about the handshake will realise its importance after the 2022 polls.
Orengo said those who want to talk about any other alliance should not tag handshake and BBI as they are two different things.
He said the future of the country will rest on a democratic decision made by the people of Kenya as to who will be the president come 2022.
“We don’t want residents to be misled that three or four people can sit down and dictate on who will be the president of Kenya come 2022,” he added.
Orengo said the person to lead the country will only be elected by the people of Kenya and not any wishful leader who thinks that he will be given the leadership position through consultations.
“Many of our leaders when they steal they don’t call on residents to help them steal and also benefit from the proceeds, but when they want leadership position they want to use the people,” he added.
The Senate minority leader took issue with the new political alliance, saying those in the alliance have no moral authority to lead the country in any position.
Orengo said anybody who was in the Moi regime that brought the country to its knees, has no good leadership skills to revive the current crippling economy.
“Anybody who was in Moi government, other than those who tried to bring order and were detained without trial, should not cheat Kenyans that they can lead us at this moment,” Orengo said.
He said out of the 45 million Kenyans, it will be shameful to elect those people who brought the country down during Moi’s regime.
The senator said he will not shy away from reminding Kenyans of the character of some of the people who are wolves in a sheep’s skin thinking that Kenyans have forgotten what they did before.
-Edited by Sarah Kanyara