Former Mukurweini MP Kabando wa Kabando now says that it is good for President William Ruto to invite Azimio leader Raila Odinga for talks publicly.
Speaking on Wednesday, Kabando said any secret talks between the two leaders would be similar to the handshake between Raila and retired President Uhuru Kenyatta.
He noted that while Raila is the leader of the protests, the people are the owners of the dialogue that has been widely called for.
"Raila as the de facto leader of maandamano, should this time remember that Kenyans are the de jure stakeholders of dialogue. Any secret talks will be akin infamous handshake. BBI was rejected because it was a fraud. It's perfectly in order for Ruto to invite Raila via Twitter," Kabando said.
The former MP insisted that Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu-led talks collapsed because they were privately planned.
Kabando said the issues raised are by the citizens and thus the process should be public.
"Statesmanship and statecraft intertwined. That Rais Samia Suluhu initial covert mediation attempt flopped shows the dominance of private, not public stakes. Now that we all know, #CostOfLivingCrisis issues that citizens have suffered, protested over and lobbied should front-banner."
On Tuesday, Raila claimed President Suluhu was in Kenya two weeks ago to mediate talks between him and Ruto.
However, Raila claimed that Suluhu was left hanging for the two days she was in the country, and no mediation talks took place.
“Samia Suliuhu came here two weeks ago at the invitation of President Ruto to mediate, but she was kept waiting not from our side. We were available, but the other side was not available. She spent two nights here and it was all in vain. Other people have tried but he’s the one who’s resisting. I am ready to sit with other people to discuss these issues,” he said during the interview with the International Press Association of East Africa.
