Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has ruled out any possibility of a "handshake" between the government and the Opposition.
Speaking in Nyeri County on Friday, May 19 during an education event at St Bonaventure Kaheti Boys High School, he insisted that sharing the government with the opposition defeats the purpose of voters going to an election.
"Elections are over and that is the truth. We were with the former Prime Minister Raila Odinga in Njabini and we told him the truth that elections are over and he should retire from politics and allow President William Ruto to work. President Ruto does not want a handshake.
"What is the purpose of an election? The purpose is for the winners to form government and losers to take the opposition roles. Saying that those who lost should join the government, defeats the purpose of having an election. The President and I have said no to a handshake," Gachagua stated.
Mr Gachagua noted that President Ruto would not consider a "handshake" with former Prime Minister Raila Odinga owing to his experience with retired President Uhuru Kenyatta after the March 2018 political truce that was blamed for the nation's economic rundown.
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"The opposition joining the government to help us is impossible because their policies and ours are different. President Ruto was elected on the Bottom Up economic transformation. They used to despise the policy. So we cannot involve them in our government. They will stall our development programmes the way they did to the Jubilee Party government after a handshake with retired President Uhuru Kenyatta," said the Deputy President.
Urging Mr Odinga to respect the outcome of the 2022 General Election, Mr Gachagua asked Mr Odinga to allow President Ruto to work for Kenyans.
He added that the Opposition had launched a scheme of intimidating the Kenya Kwanza government into a "handshake".
In addition, the Deputy President accused former Prime Minister Raila Odinga of chasing photo opportunities with the President.
"We have seen him recently with the President taking pictures. We will welcome him even tomorrow for the photo sessions. Staying near the President for a photo, we have no loss. Provided he does not bring issues of a handshake," he stated.
