Just a day after reports indicated that President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto were having secret meetings in a bid to bolster reconciliation talks, allies from the two leaders have dismissed truce talks.
Jubilee Vice Chairperson David Murathe, on Wedsday, October 14, stated that the talks should be regarded as propaganda.
"The president is busy serving the nation and those claiming that there is a planned truce are talking to themselves," Murathe stated.
He was backed up by Nominated MP Maina Kamanda, who stated that the DP and his allies were allegedly advocating for truce talks in a bid to slow down the president's support for ODM leader Raila Odinga.
"We are telling them that we cannot be distracted. With the way Ruto is disrespecting the president, who wants to associate with him?" Kamanda posed.
Odinga's allies led by Suba South MP John Mbadi also waded in on the matter saying that the conversation between the two leaders would have to be honest.
"The person leading the reconciliation talks should either tell Uhuru to abandon his peace and unity agenda of the country and help Ruto's selfish 2022 presidential campaign, or tell Ruto to stop early campaigns and help in service delivery," Mbadi stated.
On the other hand, Ruto allies stated that they were not interested in a truce, rather, they wanted the president to restore the DP's duties as well as ask his juniors to treat him with respect.
Jubilee deputy secretary general Caleb Kositany opined that President Uhuru already had a handshake with ODM leader Raila Odinga and Kenyans would not benefit from another handshake. Kositany suggested that all political effort should be put into improving the livelihoods of Kenyans and not more handshakes.
"A political handshake is not our priority now," Elgeyo Marakwet senator Kipchumba Murkomen stated.
"Why now? We will soldier on as it is. They know their strategies are not working," Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro claimed.
The reconciliation team is reportedly comprised of a team of bishops, including Silas Yego (AIC), David Oginde (CITAM) and Anthony Muheria (Nyeri Catholic Archdiocese).
One of the bishops stated that progress had been made and that the handshake was expected to be finalised in a week.
