With less than two weeks to the polls, President Uhuru Kenyatta is out to influence the direction next month’s general elections will take.
On Wednesday night, the Head of State at his Gacheha Farm in Rongai, Nakuru county met a section of Talai Elders and close to 200 opinion shapers, including politicians from the counties of Uasin Gishu, Nandi, Elgeyo Marakwet, and Nakuru.
Also present at the convocation was a group of Kikuyu elders.
According to reports, President Kenyatta took time to explain in detail what led to his much-publicized squabble with DP William Ruto and why he has resolved to back the Azimio-One Kenya Coalition plus its flagbearer Raila Odinga for the top seat.
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”He opened up on why he fell out with his deputy William Ruto. He said the UDA presidential candidate started calling him names and boasting that he was to take over immediately after the 2017 General Election,” a report reveals.
”The President also wanted us to assure him that the region will back Azimio la Umoja Presidential candidate Raila Odinga in the August polls. It was all about his succession.”
The invites-only meeting resolved to draw up a concrete campaign schedule that will see Hon Kenyatta hit the campaign trail to drum up support for his allies in the Rift Valley as well as Raila Odinga.
In addition, the Head of State called for a peaceful co-existence in the region and requested the elders present to ask the Kalenjin nation for forgiveness on his behalf if he had wronged them in any way.
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”He called for harmony among the Rift Valley people during and after the general elections. He said that political opponents should not be enemies. He was explaining why he went the handshake route. He said that he had nothing against the region, ” former cabinet minister Franklin Bett said after the meeting.
