Jubilee Party Secretary-General Raphael Tuju has declared his unrivalled support for the political handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM Party leader Raila Odinga.
Kenyatta and Odinga buried their political hatchet on March 09, 2018, in a move that has since rattled a section of leaders elected on the Jubilee Party ticket who claim that Odinga is out to derail Deputy President William Ruto’s chances of becoming president after the 2022 general elections.
Appearing on Citizen’s News Night Show on Tuesday night, Tuju said that the handshake instantly killed his bad blood with the ODM Party leader.
He recalled how his rivalry with Odinga led to violence being visited on some of his close relatives and supporters, by people believed to be the ODM leaders’ supporters.
“If there’s someone who should have reservations with the handshake, then it is me. For 15 years I never saw eye to eye with Raila Odinga,” the former Rarieda MP said.
"After the handshake, the Kenyan shilling strengthened against the dollar. Investor confidence has been on the rise and the environment in the country is calm,” he added.
Tuju served as Rarieda MP from 2002 but lost the seat in 2007 due to what many saw as rivalry with Odinga despite his impressive track record.