Key highlights in President Uhuru Kenyatta speech at Sagana State Lodge February 23

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday delivered a charged speech during the Sagana 3 meeting in Nyeri County, where thousands of Mt Kenya residents gathered.

President Kenyatta delivered the speech from the Sagana State Lodge and used the Gikuyu vernacular while speaking.

It also provided the first instance, ahead of the August 9 General Election, where the President gave a clear indication that he will endorse Azimio La Umoja presidential hopeful Raila Odinga in the election.

Vouching for his administration, President Kenyatta declared that he had taken an economy worth Sh5 trillion to be worth double, Sh13 trillion.

“I inherited a Sh5 trillion economy, I will hand over a Sh13 trillion economy to..." Uhuru prompted, to a crowd that would respond with, “Baba,” to which he agreed.

President Uhuru Kenyatta speaking at Sagana State Lodge Pulse Live Kenya

Campaigning for the former Prime Minister, he explained that their working relationship had resulted in many of the successes of his second term.

Uhuru asks William Ruto to wait his turn, after Raila

Without mentioning his deputy, Dr William Ruto, President Kenyatta indicated that the fallout between the two of them was reconcilable but conditional.

"Let us support this man [Odinga]. When my deputy gets back on track, we can allow him to lead after this man," the President added.

The head of state also called out DP Ruto’s presidential campaign for what he termed as outright lies saying that they were intended to whip up emotion, asserting that he was not interested in extending his term any longer.

In a reference to the 2017 campaign season, President Kenyatta apologised to Odinga for the name-calling and insults, adding that he had already acknowledged his own shortcomings.

Mt Kenya residents at Sagana State Lodge Pulse Live Kenya

He added that the rivalry had built-up tensions in certain parts of the country and only reached out to the ODM leader so that peace could prevail.

"I called him [Raila] names. But after the elections and the rerun...those in Nairobi, Kisumu, Trans Nzoia and Bungoma understand how kiosks were burnt. I used my own money to compensate people whose businesses were destroyed,” President Kenyatta recounted.