President William Ruto and Azimio One Kenya leader Raila Odinga kept their truce talks a secret even from their closest allies after they were warned to be wary of vested interests from their respective political alliances.
According to a local daily, the two did not physically meet but only engaged through a senior official in the Office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) who acted as an intermediary.
“Although they were kept in touch with each other over the weekend, President Ruto and Raila never met in person, only engaging through a senior official in the Office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) who acted as an intermediary and who relayed messages from one party to the other,” the People Daily newspaper reports.
According to the paper the talks only included a few allies from Ruto and Raila Camps.
From the government side senior officials who were privy to the talks include; Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki, Transport counterpart Kipchumba Murkomen and Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot.
Raila on his side involved his 2022 presidential campaign running mate, Martha Karua, and Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka. His other allies including Former Defence Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa, Roots Party leader George Wajackoyah were left in the dark until the last minute.
“The stakes were high and we told the two leaders that they would be held responsible should the country burn, and therefore they had to take up the initiative,” Mombasa Catholic Archbishop Martin Kivuva revealed.
He also noted that the clerics opted to address the two leaders directly after realizing that the talks were being sabotaged by hardliners in their respective camps. They requested that the two leaders exclude their perceived hard-line allies.
Also Read: US Senator Chris Coons Behind Ruto, Raila truce – Wiper MP Alleges
