President Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday flew to Turkey after making a call that forced his handshake partner and ODM leader Raila Odinga to cut short his tour of the Coast and head back to Nairobi late Friday evening. According to sources, President Uhuru Kenyatta was to attend a critical meeting bringing together top Mt Kenya businessmen and women, as well as the region’s opinion shapers in the private sector to draw a roadmap to 2022 elections.
Unable to cancel the Turkey State visit, the Head of State called Raila Odinga and asked him to personally represent him in the critical meeting with Mt Kenya moguls. Mr. Odinga, who had earlier attended the requiem service of the late business mogul Chris Kirubi accepted the request from Mr. President, who was also expected to receive a detailed report on his planned Mt Kenya tour.
The opinion shapers met at the Two Rivers Mall in Nairobi’s Ruaka area. These meetings are part of the behind the scene efforts by President Uhuru Kenyatta to have a grip of the Mt Kenya region currently in political turmoil and heavy raid by DP Ruto.
Mr. Odinga was accompanied by Minority Leader in the Senate James Orengo. Other notable leaders present were nominated MP Maina Kamanda, former Nairobi Deputy Governor Polycarp Igathe, and former presidential candidate Peter Kenneth.
“The business leaders thanked Uhuru and Raila for rising above individual interests to shake hands and ensure peaceful co-existence among Kenyans. They said the business environment was stable and allowed them to open their businesses closed during the daily skirmishes,” a source told a local publication on Sunday.
