Wanjigi Exposes How Raila Planned to Overthrow Uhuru Day Before Handshake

President Uhuru Kenyatta (left) and ODM leader Raila Odinga (right) during the famous March 2018 handshake that birthed the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI)
President Uhuru Kenyatta (left) and ODM leader Raila Odinga (right) during the famous March 2018 handshake that birthed the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI)
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Presidential aspirant Jimi Wanjigi has revealed intricate details of a planned coup by the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Raila Odinga a day before the handshake on March 9, 2018.

Speaking on KTN News, Wanjigi detailed that Raila had called him alongside Siaya Senator James Orengo for a meeting on March 8, 2018, in order to discuss the next course of action after he had been sworn in as the people's president.

According to Wanjigi, the three leaders chose a radical decision- opting to march to State House and forcefully take office later that month on March 27, 2018.

Nairobi businessman, Jimi Wanjigi during a past event,
Nairobi businessman, Jimi Wanjigi during a past event.
The Standard

He, however, expressed his dismay when the following day, the Former Premier abandoned their plans and instead shook hands with his former adversary, President Uhuru Kenyatta.

"I can give you some history lessons, when Raila Odinga went and shook Uhuru Kenyatta's hands in 2018, he did so without involving his generals who have been the length and breadth of this country.

"The day before, he called Orengo and myself asking the next move after he had been sworn in as People's president and we agreed on a direction. That direction was quite radical and it meant that we are now going to State House on March 27 in order to take office. I was shocked that the next day he went to shake hands with Uhuru," he stated.

Terming the move as betrayal, he stated that Raila had broken the initial rules of engagement for his generals who had backed him through thick and thin. 

"When he did so, it seems like that was a surrender as he did not go with terms or rules of engagement," Wanjigi pointed out.

The billionaire businessman also stated that the handshake birthed the fallout between him and his party leader Raila. He noted that the country ought to move away from a political realm governed by only particular families since independence.

Wanjigi has been relentless in his pursuit of his ODM Presidential ticket- affirming his stance that he is an equal contender as the former Premier. 

Odinga and Wanjigi have been wrestling for the ODM ticket with the businessman threatening to petition the court to stop the forthcoming National Delegates Convention. He argues that the party has not accorded him fair treatment in his quest for the party ticket. 

The race to State House is also crowded with others from different parties, including the Deputy President William Ruto, ANC's Musalia Mudavadi, Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi, Wiper's Kalonzo Musyoka, Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua among others.

President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga at Bomas of Kenya
President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga at Bomas of Kenya on November 19 2019 during the launched of BBI report.
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