Siaya Senator James Orengo on Saturday, March 6, disclosed what he described as a plot to sabotage the handshake and derail Raila Odinga's presidential bid come 2022.
The Senate minority leader, who is one of the closest allies of Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader, claimed that certain individuals in the Office of the President were keen to block Raila from ascending to the presidency.
Orengo said that President Uhuru Kenyatta’s allies have been holding meetings at the Harambee House with the objective of shaking up the handshake which Raila and Uhuru forged to end political differences after the heavily contested 2017 general elections.
“I want to warn some top civil servants paid by taxpayers’ money to stop meddling in the country’s political leadership,” Orengo said.
Orengo who is also Raila's political strategist equated the plot to the ones that happened during president Mwai Kibaki’s earlier days in office when the retired president's handlers supported Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi for the presidency, but still lost.
He also added that similar strategies were used by some Kenyan mafia who wanted to prevent the late president Daniel Moi from ascending to power.
Orengo's statements come barely a day after Raila’s elder brother Oburu Oginga said that the former prime minister could still work with Deputy President William Ruto in the 2022 general elections.
Orengo's remarks elicited debate with some politicians saying that the betrayal was bound to happen.
"All along I knew Handshake was built on quicksand. I'm, therefore, surprised that some of you are surprised that it's coming down like a house of cards. Fact is, it wasn't about if, but when it would finally crumble. Let's enjoy the spectacle," Senator Millicent Omanag said.
Irungu Kangata who is also one of the senators kicked out of jubilee also said that the Handshake was now ending.
"I spoke in December via my letter about the use of "hard power" in politics and many thought I was insane," Kangata said.
Raila who ran for the presidency in 2017 recently accused his former National Super Alliance (NASA) partners; Musalia Mudavadi, Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetang'ula of betraying him during the controversial swearing on January 30, 2018, at Nairobi's Uhuru Park grounds.
Following the alleged betrayal, Raila stated that he would not back any of the NASA co-principals for presidency come 2022 since they had shown cowardice.
“When we were going for the swearing-in, in Nairobi, they refused. They switched off their phones and they were shivering due to fear. They now want me to give them the mantle by supporting them,” Raila said.
Raila who is yet to declare his candidature in the much anticipated 2022 general election, stated that he will only make his stand known after the Constitution Amendment Bill 2020 (BBI) is passed.
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