https://en.sputniknews.africa/20230517/kenyas-opposition-leader-debunks-rumors-of-handshake-talks-with-president-ruto-1059316400.html
Kenya's Opposition Leader Debunks Rumors of 'Handshake' Talks With President Ruto
Kenya's Opposition Leader Debunks Rumors of 'Handshake' Talks With President Ruto
Sputnik Africa
Raila Odinga and William Ruto coincidentally crossed paths three times in just two days, leading to speculation and intrigue in local media about the imminent political truce between them
2023-05-17T17:35+0200
2023-05-17T17:35+0200
2023-05-17T17:35+0200
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Raila Odinga has denied "handshake" talks with Ruto after their meeting during weekend, the opposition leader told local media.Odinga, who run into the president on three occasions firstly at a burial in central Nyandarua county and later at two local football matches on Saturday and Sunday, described their meetings as chance encounters where no political discussion happened. He also stressed that the meetings were not an "orchestrated move" to mend fences with Ruto, as some "political detractors" suggested. The debunking comes on the back of yesterday's announcement by Odinga of new protests against the government, this time focusing on the proposed 16% added tax on fuel and the housing fund introduced by the Kenya government.Ruto was the winner in Kenya's general elections last August with 50.49% of the vote. His main rival from the Azimio la Umoja (United Kenya) coalition, Odinga, came in second with 48.8%. He refused to recognize the election results and has led demonstrations since March against what he said was a "rigged" election. The Kenyan president condemned the opposition protests, which turned into riots and caused material damage, forcing the closure of several businesses. Ruto claims Odinga is stoking a political crisis to force his government into a settlement to advance family business interests.
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Kenya's Opposition Leader Debunks Rumors of 'Handshake' Talks With President Ruto
Opposition leader Raila Odinga and President William Ruto coincidentally crossed paths three times in just two days, leading to speculation and intrigue in local media about an imminent political truce between them amid a campaign of protests launched by the former against Ruto.
Raila Odinga has denied "handshake" talks
with Ruto after their meeting during weekend, the opposition leader told local media.
Odinga, who run into the president on three occasions firstly at a burial in central Nyandarua county and later at two local football matches on Saturday and Sunday, described their meetings as chance encounters where no political discussion happened.
"We did not talk about anything other than football. For the record, we don’t want any handshake with the government and we have not asked for it," the opposition leader noted.
He also stressed that the meetings were not an "orchestrated move" to mend fences with Ruto, as some "political detractors" suggested.
"There was and will never be no handshake between me and Ruto," Odinga concluded.
The debunking comes on the back of yesterday's announcement by Odinga of new protests against the government, this time focusing on the proposed 16% added tax on fuel and the housing fund introduced by the Kenya government.
Ruto was the winner in Kenya's general elections last August with 50.49% of the vote. His main rival from the Azimio la Umoja (United Kenya) coalition, Odinga, came in second with 48.8%. He refused to recognize the election results and
has led demonstrations since March against what he said was a "rigged" election.
The Kenyan president condemned the opposition protests, which turned into riots and caused material damage, forcing the closure of several businesses. Ruto claims Odinga is stoking a political crisis to force his government into a settlement to advance family business interests.
