Kanu dares handshake critics to quit office

Kanu General Secretary Nick Salat (centre) addresses Segero residents after he presided over a fund raiser in aid of university and college students on Friday. (Peter Ochieng, Standard)

Kanu Secretary General Nick Salat has dared those opposed to the handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga to resign from their posts in government.

Mr Salat faulted critics of the unity deal between the two leaders, saying they are not in support of the President’s Big four agenda and the fight against corruption.

“As Kanu, we fully support the handshake and we are asking those opposing it to exit Uhuru’s government and allow the President to deliver on his big four agenda and leave a legacy,” said Salat.

Without mentioning names, the secretary general said some senior political leaders from the Rift Valley are not in support of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), yet they are still serving in government.

Speaking in Ziwa, Uasin Gishu County where he represented Kanu Chairman Gideon Moi during a fundraising to help 40 needy students studying in different institutions, Salat said the party will rally the Kalenjin community to support decisions of the BBI formed by Kenyatta and Raila after the March 9, 2018 handshake.

“We shall show our total support for the handshake by supporting the proposed referendum and we will urge our community to support the constitutional changes because it will bring unity in the country,” Mr Salat said.

Kanu Rift Valley coordinator Paul Kibet asked the Head of State to tighten the noose on leaders suspected to be engaging in corruption, and yet they are in his administration.

“We have seen those we have been suspecting of engaging in corruption stop flying choppers every weekend when the President started leading the fight against corruption. This means the fight is already bearing fruits,” Mr Kibet observed.

He urged state agencies charged with the fight against corruption to probe a section of leaders who have in recent months claimed that their community is being targeted in the war on corruption.

Kibet told President Uhuru to direct Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i Matiang’i who was ten days ago picked to chair the National Development Implementation and Communication Cabinet Committee, to unearth a cartel that crippled the agriculture sector, leading to poor maize prices.

He told the State to relook into the decision to stop importation of subsidised fertiliser.