Raila says Kenya Kwanza ‘too shady’ to get into handshake with

Opposition leader Raila Odinga on Monday labelled President William Ruto’s government as “too shady” for him to want to get into a political truce similar to his ceasefire with retired president Uhuru Kenyatta on March 9, 2018.

Speaking at the Jubilee Party National Delegates Conference (NDC) convened by Kenyatta at the Ngong Racecourse in Nairobi, Raila said he agreed to bipartisan talks because he did not want a ‘handshake’, with the Kenya Kwanza administration.

“Kenya Kwanza should stop losing sleep over an imaginary handshake. Kenya Kwanza is too shady to be embraced, and that is why we have decided to give dialogue a chance,” the former prime minister, whom Kenyatta had picked as his preferred successor said.

“We embraced the talks to secure a good deal for Kenyans and if the deal will not be forthcoming, Kenyans can be sure will not pursue vain dialogue.”

Odinga has refused to concede defeat to Dr Ruto in the August 2022 presidential race and in March kicked off anti-government demonstrations.

He called off the bi-weekly protests on April 2, after President Ruto welcomed him to bipartisan parliamentary talks to address their grievances.