Uhuru, Raila Meet and Agree To ‘Work Together’

President Uhuru Kenyatta and the opposition leader Raila Odinga on Friday morning sat down for a talk after their fallout at Harambee House in Nairobi.

The hotly contested August 8, 2017, General Election and the subsequent election after the court nullified the results had made the two leaders political arch-rivals, with the rivalry spilling over to the national assembly.

The talks revolved around how to bring Kenyans together and work on a common goal free from the discord brought about by their differences.

NASA, led by Raila Odinga had earlier on insisted on holding talks with the President to end the impasse between the government and the opposition. However, the president and his Deputy William Ruto had held their ground and said no to dialogue urging NASA to await the 2022 elections.

This suddenly changed in Friday’s meeting where President Uhuru and Raila finally buried the hatchet. Noting their joint statement, Raila said that it is the time the political differences that have divided Kenyans for generations to come to an end.

President Kenyatta, on his part, affirmed that they had decided to set aside their differences and put Kenyans and the country first.

The two have agreed to roll out a program that will implement their shared objectives. The task force formed, co-chaired by Ambassador Martin Kimani and lawyer Paul Mwangi, will establish an office for addressing issues regarding safety and security, corruption, inclusivity, elections among others. An official launch is to be held soon.

Some NASA leaders have applauded the move made by both leaders as well as its resolutions, terming it as a step to healing Kenya. Cyprian Awiti, Homa Bay Governor, said it was encouraging to see Mr. Kenyatta and Mr. Raila set aside their interests.