Sakaja: Ruto’s wisdom has brought the nation together

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja is a happy man following the truce between President William Ruto and Opposition leader Raila Odinga.

Speaking to the Star on Monday, the Governor said that his party leader the President had demonstrated his fatherly role as the leader of his nation.

"I salute the President for his wisdom and his role as the father of the nation. We must always arise. I am confident that the processes proposed by both sides will yield a win situation for Kenya," Sakaja said.

On Sunday, President Ruto extended an olive branch to Raila and proposed for bi-partisan parliamentary process on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commissioners’ recruitment.

The President also said he was ready to engage any leader.

"Our position is that we want to engage our brothers and sisters on the other side on issues that are important to Kenyans, them as an opposition, us as a government," Ruto said.

As a result, Raila suspended countrywide demonstrations set for Monday and listed conditions even as he readies himself for a dialogue with President Ruto.

The Nairobi county boss further said that he was happy that business will now resume as normal without being interfered with or people living in fear to conduct their businesses.

"I am happy for the people of Nairobi who had borne the brunt of recent upheaval. Businesses will come back to full operation and livelihoods revived," Sakaja added.

In the first Azimio protest on March 20, 2023, Governor Sakaja said the county lost about  Sh40 million since they collected less than half of the daily revenue collection.

Prior to the demos, Sakaja had urged the opposition to engage in dialogue instead of confrontation.

He had said that no solution can be made out of chest-thumping.

“All of this cannot be accomplished through chest-thumping; even the Bible says, ‘Let us come together and reason,’ though this does not imply to a handshake,” Sakaja said then. 

From his statement, Sakaja was mocked and attacked by politicians from both Azimio and Kenya Kwanza coalition.

He was even referred to as a 'mole' and an advocate of Raila in Kenya Kwanza government.