Barely a year after the March 9 2018 truce between President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga, political analyst Gerald Bitok has predicted another handshake.
Speaking on Wednesday, Bitok said that the truce has not served its purpose, and contrary to its motive, has divided the nation even further on political lines.
He added that the handshake was a remedy to the worn out one between Uhuru and his deputy William Ruto in 2013, and a new one might be needed to further cool things.
According to Bitok, the handshake seems to have pushed a section of Kenyans, especially those allied to Ruto, to feel excluded, and a bigger one might be witnessed before 2022.
"We had a handshake in 2013 which brought unity but it was enough. Consequently, he had another in 2018 which, however, seems to have worsened things. We should prepare for another one before the 2018 polls," he said.
The commentator made the remarks in an interview on Radio Jambo's Mazungumzo Waziwazi Show, Wednesday evening.
He attributed the current handshake's failures to the inclusion of politics, saying that some members of the two sides seem to be using it to realize political dreams.
This way, he added, it has lost its initial theme which was to enhance peace and stability and is now taking a political route with regards to the 2022 presidential elections.
"Handshake ni nzuri, lakini imeingizwa siasa na hiyo ndiyo shida (the problem is that politics has found its way into the handshake)," he said.
However, both leaders have maintained that the truce has no political basis and will be used to solely enhance unity stability and development.
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