Ruto to Raila: I am ready to listen to your concerns

By Peter Ochieng

President William Ruto on Monday assured opposition leader Raila Odinga, that he is ready to listen to his concerns.

Speaking in Nyeri county, Ruto however maintained his stand that the concerns must not border on handshake and violence.

“They (the opposition) have agreed that they don’t want handshake, which I am of the same opinion, now I want to make a second request to them, since we all agreed no handshake, I want them to as well refrain from violence and the destruction of properties and businesses,” said the president.

“If we agree on those two that there is no handshake and there is no violence then we can proceed as a country we can discuss the rest of the things," he said.

He spoke a day after Odinga, Azimio leader stated that he is not interested in a handshake with Ruto that may lead to nusu mkate (coalition government).

Odinga claimed that forming a government with Ruto would taint his image. He threatened to call for another round of anti-government demos, if Kenya Kwanza and Azimio talks fail to start within a month.

Azimio had proposed today for the first meeting between the parties, but Kenya Kwanza suggested Thursday this week.

Transport Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kipchumba Murkomen has castigated Azimio and Kenya Kwanza team leaders in the talks, Kalonzo Musyoka and Kimani Ichung'wah for writing letters to each other, instead of calling one another to plan for the dialogue.