Speculations have been rife following the meeting between President William Ruto and Opposition leader Raila Odinga in Uganda.
Raila accompanied Ruto for a meeting with President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at his home.
Following the meeting, reports went viral that Raila and Ruto had reached a consensus to bury the hatchet and in return, his allies would benefit from State appointments.
However, Digital Strategist Dennis Itumbi who is a close ally to President Ruto dismissed the claims.
“There is NO DEAL on state positions for allies! We promised Kenya it is NOT about POSITIONS but JOBS. We will keep the promise,” Itumbi insisted.
This is even after Raila recognised Ruto’s presidency shortly after their meeting in Uganda
In a change of tune, Raila who has always referred to the Head of State as Mr Ruto, called him by his official title President Ruto.
The Azimio la Umoja leader did not call him President Ruto once which his avid supporters would argue it was a slip of the tongue, but he did it more than once.
Raila’s acceptance of Ruto’s Presidency was also printed conspicuously in a statement he published after meeting Museveni.
“Several days ago, I accepted an invitation from President Kaguta Museveni of Uganda for a joint meeting with President
William Ruto today to discuss the deepening of regional integration within the East African Community,” his statement read in part.
“Crucially, at the urging of President Museveni, we also discussed my candidacy for Chairperson of the African Union Commission. I am very grateful to President Museveni for strongly endorsing my candidacy and to President Ruto for fully backing it,” he added.
Raila had earlier announced that he would not recognise Ruto’s presidency, claiming he is in office illegally.
Raila also demanded that the Kenya Kwanza government resign, arguing that it had neither the mandate of the people nor the ability to govern.
“We as Azimio reject the 2022 election results,” he said. “We cannot and will not recognise the Kenya Kwanza regime and we consider the Kenya Kwanza government illegitimate. We don’t recognise Mr William Ruto as President of Kenya and we equally don’t recognise any officials in the office with him.”
