Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja last week called for dialogue between President William Ruto and Opposition leader Raila Odinga.
The Governor who was speaking at Saint Joseph Mukasa Catholic Church in Kahawa West acknowledged said while Ruto believed in dialogue, he was surrounded by hardliners who were afraid of unity.
“This is our country and if we burn it we have nowhere else to go, that is why I am advocating for dialogue between the government and the opposition since I believe politics of exclusion is not part of our game since we must work together,” Sakaja said.
Sakaja’s remarks appear to have sparked controversy within the Kenya Kwanza government with a section of leaders opposing the governor’s move.
For instance, Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa is now accusing the Nairobi governor of struggling to appease Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party leader Raila Odinga.
In a statement on Monday, March 13, the UDA legislator said Sakaja’s push for a handshake between Raila and President Ruto was not for the benefit of the Kenyans but for his own selfish gains.
He said the governor is fearing being impeached should he side with the Head of State.
“The rate under which Sakaja fears impeachment by trying to appease Raila Odinga even with his dress code, if you were to give him Meru County to lead, the dude will run away from the County citing further studies,” Barasa said in a Tweet.
Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei on Monday, March 13, echoed Barasa’s sentiments arguing that Sakaja was misguided in calling for unity between Raila and Ruto.
“Sakaja you are wrong, Ruto and Raila will not have a handshake but you can go ahead and unite with Raila the same way you have done with other Azimio leaders in Nairobi,” Cherargei stated.
