Uhuru played no role in Ruto-Raila broad-based goverment, says Kioni

"It is not good to drag other people's names in the mud, stick to your decision."

In Summary
  • Kioni said that the decision to join the government happened a while back and has only come into play now.
  • He further said that Azimio will continue to do its oversight duties diligently.
Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni at a past event.
Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni at a past event.
Image: FILE

Jubilee Party Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni has dismissed claims that former President Uhuru Kenyatta played a role in the formation of a broad-based government.

Azimio leader Raila Odinga on Tuesday claimed that Uhuru asked him to talk to President William Ruto to resolve the crisis caused by Gen Z protests.

He said the country was on the brink of collapse as a result of the demonstrations.

However, Kioni on Wednesday alleged that the information by Raila on Uhuru was inaccurate.

"Uhuru did communicate to Kenyans through his letter on July 25 that he was concerned. If you want to know his thinking and position and why you have to be careful about what Raila said and what I hold to be untrue and is not accurate then you know that what Raila said was a misleading position," he said.

According to Kioni, Raila made a wrong decision to form the broad-based government claiming it does not address issues of Kenyans.

Kioni said that the decision to join the government happened a while back and has only come into play now.

"It is not good to drag other people's names in the mud, stick to your decision. When you make a decision do not try to blame others," Kioni said.

Kioni further said that Azimio will continue to do its oversight duties diligently.

"We have been trying to tell them not to join the government and have to stick with Kenyans and now they have dived deep," he said.

He said with Raila moving to the African Union, there is a need for someone to replace him in the local politics.

Raila has on several occasions affirmed that they agreed to form a broad-based government and not a coalition.

The Azimio boss said he spoke with Ruto on the phone and agreed to meet him and discuss the security situation.

“Uhuru said if the country went down, then we have no other country," Raila said.

Ruto asked leaders from various political affiliations to support ongoing efforts to unite Kenyans for the sake of unity and transformation.

The President appealed to leaders who do not support the broad-based government to do so in the spirit of patriotism.

"I want to tell fellow leaders that this is not the time for us to be disunited, to think about selfish interests or our political formations. This is the time to think about Kenya," the President said.

"Let us all work together towards transformation, progress and unity so that we can overcome poverty." 

He said the unity and transformation of the country are more important than the selfish, personal and political interests of leaders.

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