President Uhuru Kenyatta has reaffirmed that the issue of the handshake is not about sharing positions in government but uniting the people of Kenya.
Speaking during a consultative meeting with Coast governors, Uhuru said that he is fully behind the handshake between him and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga.
The Head of State said that there is need for different leaders to back his pact with Raila for the sake of development.
Uhuru also said that the politics of division will not be witnessed in the country, and reminded leaders not to backstab each other in the name of succession politics.
“We must look at our history as a country and as a region, and ask ourselves can our people as Kenyans continue to sustain politics of division, politics of hate, and politics of backstabbing and still believe that we are going to be a middle-income country by 2030? Is it possible?” Kenyatta posed.
He asked leaders not to take advantage of the handshake to push for their agenda and challenged Kenyans to continue living together in harmony.
“The essence of the handshake is not about who shall be where and who shall have what position but how can we as Kenyans together not live in the past but learn from it," said Uhuru.
The meeting was attended by Governors Granton Samboja (Taita Taveta), Ali Hassan Joho (Mombasa), Dhadho Godhana (Tana River), Fahim Twaha (Lamu), Salim Mvurya (Kwale) and Amason Kingi (Kilifi).