President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday met Azimio la Umoja MPs as well as the outfit’s leader Raila Odinga in what is seen as an attempt by the Head of State to take control of his succession politics. The luncheon, attended by Senators and MPs supporting the Handshake saw allies of DP Ruto locked out in the gathering that also discussed August polls and Azimio Movement’s future plans.
Speaking during the luncheon the President openly expressed his support for Mr. Odinga and asked the legislators present to ensure his regime’s development programs continue even after he leaves in the next eight months.
“I hope and pray that this spirit we have started with, we shall be able to carry on with it through till elections are over and for us to be able to bequeath again a new administration peace, togetherness, and a focus on the issues that affect the people of this Republic,” the President said, going ahead to thank the legislators who ensured the Political Parties Amendment 2021 went through in Parliament.
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”And the political parties amendment that we are trying to push through which some people have tried to demonise as they demonised BBI. The bill is giving us an opportunity to be able to formally work together across political parties in the interest of the nation,” President Uhuru added.
On his part, Raila Odinga, the Azimio Movement leader said constitution-making was a continuous process and that it was not a crime for any Kenyan to initiate amendments into the document. The former prime minister commended MP’s for passing the Political Parties (Amendment) and urged the Senate to emulate the National Assembly for the benefit of all Kenyans.
“I just want to say, like it has been said before, that law and constitution-making is always work in progress. Even the old age constitution, the democratic constitution of Unites States of America, is still work in progress, and they have got several amendments which they always put to use the 5th Amendment, the 6th Amendment, and so on and so forth.
So, really, it is not a crime for somebody to see something is wrong in our constitution or in our law that we need to change because it always makes things better.“They say that a good idea always yields to a better idea, and a better idea would yield to the best idea. So what you guys are doing is basically trying to improve governance in our country. So we really want to thank you very, very sincerely for what you did,” Raila said.
Other speakers at the bipartisan luncheon, attended by MPs from across the political divide, included Leaders of Majority in the National Assembly and Senate Amos Kimunya and Samuel Poghisio as well as Senate Deputy Speaker Prof Margaret Kamar.
