President William Ruto says he can find a role for Raila Odinga if the former Prime Minister is open to the idea of working under his administration.
Speaking in an interview with BBC Africa Daily, President Ruto said the job offer to Raila is on the condition that there won’t be a handshake.
“When Raila Odinga decides to retire, and I think there are roles he can play as a Kenyan leader, he can support the country in other initiatives may be in the Great Lakes Region, he has contacts there. He can work with us as an elder Statesman. t is not for me to choose. It is for Kenyans. If Raila Odinga comes by, I would provide him something to do but not in the handshake arrangement,” said Ruto.
“The handshake arrangement was the biggest fraud on the people of Kenya. It should not have happened. Once you compromise the opposition you are headed in the wrong direction, many wrong things will happen as it did,” he added.
Ruto insisted that the opposition has a constitutional responsibility to ensure that the government is held accountable.
“The opposition is part and parcel of the function of our country and to compromise that element of governance and oversight is the very wrong thing to do. Opposition does not mean enmity,” the president said.
Ruto also disclosed that he has been in communication with Raila Odinga and his former boss Uhuru Kenyatta.
“Today I speak to Uhuru Kenyatta as our former president. I speak to Raila for your information. I speak to them. They are leaders in our country. We have a country to look after and we are not enemies, we were competitors, we are compatriots. Whether you are in the Executive as a president like me or opposition like Raila and his troops, we are serving the same country,” he said.
