Community elders, religious leaders, and a section of politicians are calling for an Uhuru-Ruto handshake to calm down political tempers in the country.
Just like the handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga in March 2018, it is believed that one with Deputy President William Ruto will calm the political tension in the country.
Failure to calm the tension between Uhuru and his deputy William Ruto could lead to animosity among their political supporters in the 2022 General Election.
For this reason, elders from the Rift Valley region are reaching out to their counterparts in Central Kenya, to advocate for a Uhuru-Ruto handshake.
“We have started talks with our colleagues from the Mt Kenya region so that we can meet the President and his deputy and sort out the differences. What we want is a united country,” Kalenjin elder Benjamin Kitur told the Nation.
On the other hand, the clergy is also committed to having am Uhuru-Ruto handshake, and they are calling on political leaders to stop quenching the animosity between the two.
“They are entitled to hold different opinions but they should keep the belligerent politics away from the public,” said Nelson Makanda of the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya.
The calls on Uhuru-Ruto handshake have intensified as their estranged relationship has become louder in recent days.
The burble busted on August 23, when President Uhuru Kenyatta asked his deputy William Ruto to resign from his position.
The Head of State told Ruto to stop criticizing the government, and at the same time taking credits for some of its projects.
“I have an agenda that I was elected on and that work must continue. It will be honorable that if you are not happy with it, you would step aside,” Uhuru said.
In his response, Ruto vowed not to resign from his position, nor quit his 2022 political dream.
Days later, the DP’s security was changed, General Service Unit(GSU) officers were replaced with Administration Police Officers.
