BBI rally: Raila dismisses DP Ruto's handshake remarks

ODM leader Raila Odinga has hit out on Deputy President William Ruto over his claims that the Orange party leader looked for him before reaching out to President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2018 for the handshake.

While addressing the BBI rally at Mama Ngina Waterfront, Raila said he reached to President Uhuru and not anyone else.

Raila said there were only two strong presidential candidates in the 2017 General Election and it was not possible for him to go through another person who did not contest in the polls.

"I saw someone saying that I looked for him before I approached the President. I did not approach anyone. It was an agreement between two main candidates," he said.

Ruto, while on an interview with NTV on Thursday, claimed he rejected Raila's handshake proposal and did not regret it.

"I knew that Uhuru was President and when I agreed to deputise him, I deferred my powers to him. He was the Jubilee Party leader and he was to lead the negotiations," Ruto said, a statement.

On the land question, Raila said the BBI report will address the protracted land question in the Coast region.

“Coast leaders have mentioned the land question, I know the problem is bigger than this small issues of title deeds, we have to resolve the land question in this region to create wealth yet there is land lying idle,” he said.

The ODM leader said plans are underway to construct a bridge at the Likoni channel to help people move easily and end deaths which have occurred at the channel.