He might have been wronged several times but still remained mum. From the secrete Handshake to being kicked out as Senate Minority leader!
The Bungoma County Senator Moses Wetang’ula now says he has forgiven Opposition leader Raila Odinga for striking a deal with President Uhuru Kenyatta behind other leaders’ backs.
The Ford Kenya Party leader says it was “unfair and great betrayal” for the Orange Democratic Movement party leader to have engaged the President without involving the other National Super Alliance (NASA) co-principals – Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper), Musalia Mudavadi (ANC) and himself.
In an exclusive interview on KTN News’ Point Blank show last night, Wetang’ula said he has since forgiven Raila after the two met for candid talk over breakfast and that it would be foolish to hold grudges for too long.
Wetang’ula – who was kicked out of the Senate Minority Leader position following his bitter fallout with Raila – said he was not opposed to the handshake but the fact that it was done behind other leaders’ backs.
When he was ousted from his Senate leadership post, Wetang’ula had warned Raila that the political fallout between them would be “noisy, messy and with casualties.”
“When President Uhuru Kenyatta met with Raila Odinga and shook hands on the doorsteps of Harambee House, many of us who were with Raila were not unhappy with the fact that there was a handshake but were unhappy with the fact that our partner had put us in the dark when making the deal,” said Wetang’ula.
“It is not just myself but also my partners who were taken aback by the handshake. Not because it was bad. We as NASA had called for dialogue and we believed only an inclusive dialogue would bring a lasting solution,” he said.
He said Mudavadi, Kalonzo and him were in the forefront of pushing for dialogue between Jubilee and the Opposition after Raila pulled out of the repeat poll and proceeded to install himself as the “People’s President” which led to heightened political tension.
He further spoke of how the three leaders told Raila to his face that swearing-in himself as president was wrong.
“We met in Athi River and we told him that what he did was the right thing in the wrong way. There was a sense and feeling of betrayal and unfairness. That we cannot take away,” he said.
All these, he said, was now water under the bridge.“I have been wronged by Raila but I have forgiven him. We have met, taken breakfast, watched Arsenal together and talked. We must appreciate people in their strengths and weaknesses,” he said.