Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga has revealed that retired President Uhuru Kenyatta called on during the nationwide anti-government protests.
Speaking on Tuesday, August 13 during the burial of former IEBC Commissioner Irene Masit’s father Chirchir Masit in Elgeyo Marakwet, Raila said Uhuru told him to look for President William Ruto and calm the country.
“At that time, when the country was burning, Uhuru called me and told me to find Mr. Ruto and talk to him. If Kenya burns, we will not have another country. Uhuru told me to find a solution to the issues being raised by Gen Zs. We talked and I told Ruto my thoughts and how to deal with the situation,” Raila revealed.
The former Prime Minister went on to say that even President Ruto reached out to him during the demos but they did not have a handshake agreement.
Raila noted that he told the Head of State that Kenyans were angry about his cabinet and the use of force by police officers while dealing with protestors.
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"William is the one who reached out to me, and I spoke to him very openly. I don't hide things; I speak directly. The newspapers are writing about some Ruto and Raila handshake—there is no handshake.
"I told Ruto that the people he has appointed have not worked the way the citizens want. The citizens are frustrated, which is why the youth have come out,” Raila stated.
The opposition chief also noted that he asked President Ruto to dismiss Principal Secretaries saying they have also not delivered to Kenyans.
“He (Ruto) listened and told me, he will remove the cabinet and send them home. I told him that even those principal secretaries you have there are corrupt, all of them need to be cleaned out so that we can have a fresh start,” Raila added.
On July 11, President Ruto dismissed the entire cabinet save for prime CS Musalia Mudavadi.
Days later the President reconstituted the cabinet and brought in key allies of Raila.
