Win or lose: Azimio candidate Raila 0dinga promises to have another handshake

Azimio One Kenya presidential candidate Raila Odinga has said he is ready for a handshake whether he losses or wins the August 9 presidential election.

During the Azimio Coalition final campaign rally held at the Karasani stadium, Odinga said he was ready to drop everything and shake hands with his opponent. The long-time opposition leader said his administration was not going to be vengeful adding that he would lead both that voted for him and those that did not.

The former prime minister recalled previous handshakes he has had other leaders saying that he was willing to have another handshake for the sake of the country.

“We do not want a divided nation that is half bitter and half happy in my government. I shook the hand of President Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi in March 2002, of President Mwai Kibaki in February 2008 and of my brother President Uhuru Kenyatta in March 2018.

"I want to assure Kenyans that I will continue with the handshake doctrine, I will shake the hand if I win and I will shake if I don’t,” Raila stated.

The March 2018 handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga The March 2018 handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga Pulse Live Kenya

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Raila praised his handshake with president Uhuru Kenyatta saying the people of Kenya were safer with a peace-loving leader than one who propagated war and hatred.

“Whose hands will dismantle the burdened economy of corruption? In whose hands are your families safe? Is it the man who shook the hand of his bitter rival and brought reconciliation and healing or a war monger?” Raila retorted in his speech.

The Azimio One Kenya candidate reiterated his promise of giving poverty-stricken families Sh6,000 saying he already had a plan of how he was going to finance the plan.

Raila Odinga speaking at his final campaign in Karasani stadium Raila Odinga speaking at his final campaign in Karasani stadium Pulse Live Kenya

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“People have asked us how we are going to give Sh6,000 to poor families but that is the wrong question the question everyone should be asking is how a few corrupt people got be paid Sh800 billion, if you could afford to pay Sh800 billion to corrupt people then you can afford to pay Sh6,000 to poor families,” Raila stated.