President William Ruto has reiterated his stance against a handshake between him and opposition leader Raila Odinga, stating that bi-partisan talks will only take place in Parliament.
Ruto made the comments during a joint press conference with Rwandan President Paul Kagame, adding that the previous handshake between Odinga and former President Uhuru Kenyatta was undemocratic, unconstitutional, and illegal.
Ruto emphasized the importance of having a government and opposition in a democratic system, stating that it was the only way to hold the executive and the government accountable.
He also noted that holding the state accountable works for everyone, including the citizens, government, and opposition, as they become part of the country’s success.
The opposition leader, Raila Odinga, has also denied any claims of a handshake, stating that he was only interested in addressing the issues raised by the Azimio outfit.
Odinga dismissed the notion of a hybrid government and any compromise on the issues that have been raised.
Ruto’s comments come after meeting with the Kenya Kwanza parliamentary leadership team to discuss the way forward regarding the bi-partisan approach.
Ruto and his team refused to entertain the idea of any compromise for a hybrid government when speaking to various emissaries last week.
