Uhuru’s team turns down Israel’s request

President Uhuru Kenyatta led Jubilee Party luminaries have rejected calls to form a Government of National Unity, as calls by both the US and Israel intensified, 21 days to the purported swearing-in of Nasa leader Raila Odinga.

Led by party secretary general Raphael Tuju, Uhuru’s team on Monday dismissed calls by the two powerful nations – Israel and US - terming them ‘a waste of time’ and instead said that the country is in dire need of dialogue over development.

Dialogue

“Did Donald Trump have dialogue with Hillary Clinton on the way forward for the United States after their elections? And is Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o having dialogue with Jack Ranguma on how to run Kisumu? That is my answer to the calls,” Mr Tuju told the in Nairobi, hours after the US ambassador to Kenya, Robert Godec held a meeting with Nasa leaders John Mbadi and Bungoma senator Moses Wetangula.

Legitimacy

On his part, Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja castigated the plans to have Raila Odinga take oath on January 30, terming the move a scheme to subject Jubilee to a forced dialogue. Mr Sakaja.

“This idea of swearing in Raila is being used to scare Jubilee and must come to an end. If Raila wants to swear himself in, he can go ahead. There is only one way to become president in Kenya and Uhuru is the legitimately elected president,” Mr Sakaja said.

Multiple sources at Jubilee party have revealed that the President had no intention to hold talks with the Opposition over the five critical dialogue issues the National Super Alliance team raised, including fresh elections, while launching Kakamega’s People’s Assembly on Sunday.

US pressure

On Monday, however, the leaders of minority in both National and Senate – John Mbadi and Moses Wetangula respectively – held talks with US ambassador to Kenya Mr Robert Godec and would later divulge to the media that they objected talks to have them included in the Jubilee administration.

“We discussed inclusivity in terms of what we have been talking about - two communities holding all government positions. Forming a coalition government is not an option to us to the extent that we have never talked about it. It has never been an item on our agenda,” Senate Minority leader Mr Moses Wetangula revealed.

Planned swearing-in

The two leaders indicated in their briefings to the press after meeting Mr Godec that there was no progress on that front and the opposition would go ahead and activate its options, starting with the planned swearing-in of Mr Raila Odinga as president.

“The ambassador’s position is that we need to find another way of addressing this matter because, despite the challenges, elections were held. He has made it clear that he is not for the swearing-in, so you didn’t expect him to change his mind,” Mr Mbadi said after the meeting in his office.

The American and Israel envoys have been in constant communication with both sides, Mr Mbadi said, but had admitted that the two sides had different ideas on the national dialogue.