Azimio Leader Raila Odinga, on Tuesday, April 4, faced much criticism from Kenya Kwanza after he envisioned dialogue akin to the 2008 deal that created the position of Prime Minister.
In the midst of the barrage of attacks from politicians aligned with President William Ruto, Raila was backed by Ruto’s most trusted ally, Abraham Korir Sing’Oei.
Sing’Oei, a Principal Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, argued that he saw no fault in Raila proposing a power-sharing deal.
“We are in a country where people must learn to listen to each other and not prejudge their intentions.
“I find nothing reprehensible in what has been proposed by Raila,” Sing’Oei noted.
With Ruto silent over Raila's recent demands, the endorsement by Sing’Oei was weighty since he is a former legal advisor to the President.
Sing’Oei, who represented Ruto at the International Criminal Court (ICC), issued his remarks contrary to other Kenya Kwanza politicians and public servants.
United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary General Cleophas Malala told off Raila, underlining that the government would not be coerced into further discussions outside Parliament.
“Raila's proposals can be accommodated within a bipartisan committee which will carry our public participation; they will go to Bondo, find Raila and ask his views,” he mocked the former Prime Minister, on Tuesday, April 4, while appearing on NTV.
National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah and Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale echoed his sentiments.
“We said from the onset that Raila was riding on the protests to get a share in the government. We want to tell him there will be no handshake between him and the President,” Kimani Ichung'wah stated.
The MP further urged the government to arrest and arraign Raila as the United States had done with former President Donald Trump facing 34 counts of falsifying business records and felony.
"In the US, a former President is in court on 34 felony charges. Remember the January 6th threat to democracy and the American state? In Kenya? Remember the August 15th Bomas incident and reflect on current affairs by the same state capture cartel," Ichung'wah added on Tuesday, April 4.
On his part, Duale remarked, “Raila is an exposed man desperate for power at whatever cost. How can he equate the current situation to the 2007/08 period and ask for power-sharing under a National Accord arrangement?”
Adding his voice to the conversation, Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei remarked that Raila contradicted himself with his numerous demands.
“Raila wants a bipartisan approach with the government and yet he still insists that the government is illegitimate. He must first recognise the government,” he told the Azimio leader.
On Tuesday, April 4, while speaking exclusively to Kenyans.co.ke, political analyst Prof Herman Manyora warned Kenya Kwanza politicians led by the National Assembly majority leader of making pronouncements from the point of authority.
“If the leaders were to meet for an agreement, would Ichung’wah know? Does he have access to the President’s diary? These politicians must start accepting they are small people in the picture,” the Professor advised Kenya Kwanza politicians.
