Jakayo Midiwo, a cousin to Opposition Leader Raila Odinga, now claims that the handshake deal has for the longest time worked against DP William Ruto and his supporters, adding that it wouldn’t be successful without the second in command.
Speaking on Tuesday during a TV interview, Midiwo accused the DP of sidelining himself in the Uhuru-Raila handshake deal, which has consequently blocked the Rift Valley region from the country’s development agenda.
“The ‘handshake’ looks like a secret against the DP. There is no way you can build a bridge from Central Kenya to Kisumu without going through the Rift Valley,” he stated.
There is no way you can build a bridge from Central Kenya to Kisumu without going through the Rift Valley. The DP needs to figure out a way to engage. – Jakoyo Midiwo #AMLiveNTV @debarlinea pic.twitter.com/bbSG7AL07X
— NTV Kenya (@ntvkenya) August 27, 2019
“The DP needs to figure out a way to engage, this country needs some kind of peace, we need to elevate the argument beyond the DP. The DP needs to figure out a way to engage,” he added.
Raila and Ruto, who are seen as the greatest competitors to one another, have over the last one year been taking on each other, with Ruto accusing the ODM leader of infiltrating into Jubilee Party through the handshake to frustrate his 2022 bid.
The former premier, however, has over time insisted that his decision to work closely with President Uhuru Kenyatta is not about 2022 succession politics, but rather to booster developments and ensure that peace and good relationships prevail in the country.