President-elect Uhuru holds out olive branch to Opposition

President Uhuru Kenyatta (right) his deputy William Ruto (centre) and wife of the Deputy President Rachael Ruto during a church service at Huruma on 26/11/17. (Beverlyne Musili, Standard)

President Uhuru Kenyatta has reached out to the Opposition with an apparent call for dialogue.

This is despite the hard-line position by National Super Alliance (NASA) that it does not recognise him as the legitimate leader despite the Supreme Court upholding Uhuru’s victory.

Speaking ahead of his inauguration scheduled for tomorrow in Nairobi, Uhuru asked the Opposition to save Kenyans the disharmony of political confrontation, adding the country should now come together after the elections.

“Na hata naomba wale tulishindana na wao. Hakuna haja sasa ya kusumbua mwananchi. Mwananchi ametimiza yake. Sisi tuje sasa tukae na tupange yale ambayo twataka kutendea Kenya (And I ask my competitors that there is no need to disturb citizens. The citizens did their part. We should now come together, sit and plan what we want to do for Kenya,” said Uhuru during a church service in Nairobi on Sunday.

Uhuru told NASA Kenyans needed peace, security, employment and good education, adding that as leaders they should join hands to take the country forward.

“Let them continue with their lives as we debate the merits and demerits of our different programmes. Kenyans do not want to shed blood or to be enjoined in political arguments but to live together in unity,” he said.

Accompanied by his deputy William Ruto and other Jubilee leaders, President Uhuru Kenyata said polls were a democratic exercise where there were winners and losers, and   that despite the competition all Kenyans were winners.

“In a democracy we must compete. But we do not compete based on dialect. We don’t compete based on colour. We compete on ideas. If we have differences it is okay in the political world.

“That’s why we compete because we do things differently but that does not mean we cannot live and coexist. Let us work out how we plan our different agendas without affecting the daily lives of the people,” he said.

Uhuru likened his competition with the Opposition to a soccer match where competitors embrace each other after facing off, saying his challengers should do the same rather than disturb citizens.

Uhuru and Ruto will be sworn into office tomorrow at Kasarani stadium for their second term.

Parallel event

However, the Opposition led by Raila Odinga, has declared it would organise a parallel event to mourn their supporters killed in protests followed the disputed October 26 fresh presidential election.

NASA has vowed to press on with civil disobedience and launch a people’s assembly intended to pile pressure on Uhuru’s Jubilee administration.

Reports have indicated there are efforts to compel the Government and Opposition to hold talks to heal divisions that have rocked the country.

Uhuru pledged to foster unity based on the foundation of development among all citizens, saying his administration was prioritising peace.

“God created us to be able to appreciate the beauty of our diversity and not to use it against each other,” said Uhuru.

Ruto who spoke briefly called on Kenyans to reject negative ethnicity and live together as one nation.

“We refuse hate, resist ethnicity and reject division so that we can live together as one nation according to the will of God,” said Ruto.

He asked the church to pray for the president-elect and the nation, saying Kenyans should build bridges of peace, togetherness and unity.

“Pray so that Kenya can continue to be a peaceful, prosperous and God-fearing nation,” Ruto said.

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko asked politicians to stop inciting Kenyans but to direct their energies to fostering peace.

“If people must fight, let’s fight ourselves as leaders and spare the ordinary people,” he said as the congregation applauded.

He said the Constitution allowed for peaceful demonstration but not through violence.

He noted that several people were hurt when NASA backers were welcoming their leader Raila Odinga from his recent visit to the US.

“We shall not allow. We must protect Kenyans as the Constitution says,” said Sonko.

Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja also asked NASA to join hands with Jubilee in “defining a new path for Kenya” even as he dismissed their claims that they do not recognise Uhuru as the president-elect.

“Some claim they do not recognise Uhuru as the president. We recognise him. The Constitution recognises him and God recognises him,” said Sakaja.

Several political intrigues have widened the rift between NASA and Jubilee. It began during the August 8 elections when Uhuru was declared the winner in a disputed process.

However, the Supreme Court annulled Uhuru’s win and called for a poll re-run in 60 days.

When a fresh poll was conducted on October 26, Uhuru again emerged victorious after NASA withdrew its candidature.

The Opposition claimed the electoral agency had failed to streamline the voting system in line with the law.

But the October 26 win was also petitioned in court Supreme Court judges upheld Uhuru’s victory.

The political stalemate has moved to Parliament where NASA MPs have stayed away from committees, thereby paralysing house business.

In fact, Parliament has had to adjourn twice for lack of business. Parliament transacts it business through House Committees. In the absence of that, then Parliament literally ceases to function.

With Uhuru set to name his new Cabinet and state officers in the coming days after he is sworn in, it would seem that he wants relations between him and the Opposition smoothed over.

All new State appointees must be vetted in Parliament, before their substantive appoitment.

A functioning Parliament is no doubt necessary to advance his agenda for the second term.