President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition leader Raila Odinga have unveiled a 14-member team to initiate the process of uniting the country.
The team named Advisors for the Building Bridges Initiative is comprised of both political and religious leaders and renowned scholars.
The 14 include:Dr Adams Oloo, Agnes Kavindu, Senator Amos Wako, Ms. Florence Omose, Professor Saeed Mwanguni, Mzee James Matundura, Major (rtd) John Seii, Bishop Lawi Imathiu, Hon Maison Leshomo, Senator Mohamed Yusuf Haji, Morompi ole Ronkai, Bishop Peter Njenga, Rose Moseu and Zecheus Okoth.
The team will be working under the direction of the secretariat headed by Ambassador Martin Kimani and Paul Mwangi.
[caption caption="President Uhuru Kenyatta with NASA leader Raila Odinga"]
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A statement sent out by Odinga’s spokesman Dennis Onyango read: “It is notified for the general information of the public that President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga have appointed a team of 14 advisors to assist in the work of the Building Bridges Initiative.”
President Kenyatta and former Prime Minister Odinga unveiled the team nearly two months after they shook hands and vowed to work together.
The Catholic Church had urged the two to come up with a comprehensive programme to unify the country and address electoral issues, the nature of the presidency and the role of the Opposition.
US Ambassador Robert Godec also called for speedy implementation of the dialogue process and expressed hope that the peace gesture will lead to an all-inclusive dialogue to address some of Kenya’s most intractable problems.
Godec had described the handshake as a pivotal moment that helped cool down political temperatures but is conscious that lack of information on the way forward does not bode well.
[caption caption="US Ambassador to Kenya Robert Godec"]
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Ahead of the surprise Harambee House meeting, Godec had been at the middle of diplomacy between President Kenyatta and Odinga involving a large number of intermediaries, including other western envoys, and religious, business and community leaders.
