Details have emerged of a series of events, intense lobbying and pressure that eventually forced National Super Alliance (NASA) principal Raila Odinga and President Uhuru Kenyatta to hold talks.
Acting US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa Donald Yamamoto admitted that the US had engaged extensively with Odinga on the need for reconciliation ahead of a visit by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
Speaking to The Wallstreet Journal, confirmed the engagement, stating that “we said to him ... is that you have a really tremendous opportunity for historic times to really push forward political and economic reforms”.
playPresident Kenyatta with US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson (The Star)
The Raila-Uhuru meeting came barely five hours before the US secretary landed in the country.
Separately, The Standard reported that it had established that Yesterday’s meeting was a result of intense pressure from the US amidst concerns that the country was headed in the wrong direction.
Reports indicate that Friday’s meeting was a culmination of behind the scenes engagement between the two parties that had been ongoing for weeks.
Suna East MP Junet Mohamed is believed to have been Raila’s emissary while on the Jubilee side it was Kinuthia Mbugua.
playPresident Kenyatta and Raila Odinga shaking hands after meeting on Friday (Courtesy)
Previous efforts led by the US Ammbassador to Kenya Robert Godec proved futile after leaders from across the political divide dismissed the calls for dialogue with NASA accusing him of being biased.
Friday saw the two leaders resolve to work together and put aside their long standing differences.
