President Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday outlined, to his Mt Kenya constituents, the gains of ‘The Handshake, between himself and his former political nemesis Raila Odinga.
While confirming that he had not dumped his Deputy William Ruto for the opposition leader, Uhuru said his relationship with Raila was geared towards the peace of the country.
“And even when I talk to this other man (Raila), I never tell him that we are talking so that he can get a big position. I tell him that we are talking because of the peace of this country and the future of our children,” Uhuru said at the Sagana State Lodge when he met Mt Kenya leaders.
The leaders had been calling for his audience since the March 9, 2018 handshake, a partnership that many saw as a way of shunning Ruto and the Jubilee brigade.
The President said there can never be any development without peace.
“Why do you want to bury me when I am alive? I will take you back on the journey we have walked together. In 2007, you recall what we went through. The country almost went up in flames,” He said.
On the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report, the Head of State said he was not aware of the report’s contents and asked politicians to stop speculations about its recommendations.
“I am hearing that BBI has this or the other. I am hearing that there are those who are supporting it and those opposed. I have never seen the BBI report and so I am still waiting to see it,” Uhuru said.
SAGANA TRANSCRIPTS – THE SUMMARY
Presidential Talking Points
BBI will be achieved via consensus. Let us talk and agree or disagree honourably.
I will tour Mt.Kenya with my Government starting in Meru pic.twitter.com/U1yHfq9R0s
— Dennis Itumbi, HSC (@OleItumbi) November 15, 2019
The president is expected to start tours across the region to meet other leaders and Kenyans, to discuss the proper means to drive the country’s development agenda. The said tour is, reportedly, set to begin in Meru County.
“I have heard what you are saying about coffee, tea, milk and pyrethrum, and others. I acknowledge that people didn’t elect me alone. I cannot solve all these problems alone. We must work together,” Uhuru said.