Raila and Gideon hold 4-hour private forum

Former Prime minister Raila Odinga and Baringo Senator Gideon Moi pose for a photo during their meeting in a Nairobi hotel on 26th February, 2019. [Photo: Standard]

Baringo Senator Gideon Moi held a four-hour private meeting with former Prime Minister Raila Odinga yesterday.

The two - who did not address journalists or issue a statement after their meeting - were said to have dwelt on issues of uniting the country.  

“This was a private meeting which had been planned earlier and was meant to engage ideas on various issues affecting the country,” an individual privy to the meeting said.

They also discussed the state of the nation, President Uhuru Kenyatta’s fight against corruption and the Big Four agenda.

Raila and Gideon concurred that corruption was a cancer that must be uprooted and offered their support to State agencies engaged in the fight against the vice.

The leaders not only explored ways of partnering to support Uhuru but also how to mobilise their parties to offer solutions on the myriad challenges the country faced.

According to those privy to the meeting, the two leaders identified challenges facing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as a priority.

“They concurred that SMEs are critical in the economy and the country must find a way to help them run efficiently,” the source said.

Senator Moi, who is also the Kanu chairman, was said to have brought up the plight of maize farmers while highlighting the fiasco involving fertiliser importation and distribution.

The meeting was a follow-up to Raila's visit to Kabarak last year, when he met retired President Daniel arap Moi.

“Gideon and Raila appear to be reading from the same scrip on several issues and problems facing the country. They want to be part of the solution in the spirit of the handshake,” an MP allied to Raila said.

Last year, Raila - who was in the company of Mvita MP Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir and Vihiga Senator George Khaniri - went to Kabarak a month after the famous handshake with Uhuru.

Since then Raila has been holding meetings with various individuals and groups that were previously in different political camps.

Following the meeting, Kanu hinted that it was looking forward to working with Raila’s ODM to find a winning formula for the 2022 elections.  

“We are in deep discussions with ODM, Wiper, ANC and a section of the Jubilee Party that will not be fielding a presidential candidate in 2022,” Tiaty MP William Kamket said in June last year.

Mr Kamket added: “We are having structured conversations with like-minded political parties. The discussions are deep and they are going on. I want to assure Kanu supporters that the future is very bright.”