Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has defended the Ichaweri meeting between President William Ruto and his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta.
Speaking on Citizen TV, Raila said people misunderstand the word ‘handshake’.
He went to say that the two leaders only greeted each other, and that would only amount to a handshake if they announced it themselves.
On the appointment of Uhuru’s allies to government, Raila insisted that it was out of the need to form an all-inclusive government that Ruto pick people from the Jubilee party to join his Cabinet.
“Uhuru just greeted Ruto. They never said that this is a handshake that they are going to work together. Ruto said that he wanted to form a government that is representative of the rest of the country, and he got some people from ODM, and now he got some people from Jubilee to join his government. That in itself is not a handshake; it’s just broadening his government,” the former PM said.
He went on to explain that should there have been a handshake, it would have been as a result of a signed agreement, which would be made public by Uhuru and Ruto.
“If there is any handshake, it would be on the basis of things that have been negotiated and agreed on, and it will be announced formally that we have now come to an agreement; this is what we are going to implement.”
Raila said the agreement he had with former President Mwai Kibaki resulted in a handshake and it was made public.
The same was done with retired President Uhuru Kenyatta when they signed an accord and it was announced publicly.
The former Prime Minister further denied reports that he has also had a handshake with President William Ruto because they have not written agreement on anything.
“People just said handshake. I've never had any handshakes with Ruto. People misconceive this word of ‘handshake’… I have not had any handshake with Ruto because we have not agreed on a written document,” Raila insisted.
During the interview, he also said claims that he was the biggest beneficiary of the Gen Z protests were just a creation of the media.
