NASA leader Raila Odinga’s Friday meeting with President Uhuru Kenyatta is a plus for the coalition push for electoral reforms in the country, political analyst Peter Ngure has said.
The Kiambu based analyst and commentator notes that the Friday meeting at Harambee House is a symbol that Jubilee government is willing to negotiate with the opposition on its electoral reforms push.
In an interview on Friday, the analyst observed that Jubilee government might have seen sense in Raila’s electoral reforms agenda.
He said that issues that the NASA coalition has been raising especially on the management of elections are serious and cannot be ignored.
“It is a win for NASA because it means President Uhuru Kenyatta’s government has finally agreed to listen to the opposition agenda,” he said.
Ngure noted that the Friday meeting was symbolic, adding that it could put a stop to unending political debates that the opposition has been engaging in recently.
“The meeting is a clear sign that the country has now completely moved on from election issues and that elected leaders should now focus on serving Kenyans,” he added.
The analyst, however, said that there is still much to be done, noting that Uhuru and Raila must now move across the country and mostly in their regions preaching unity and reconciliation.
The Uhuru- Raila Friday meeting surprised many Kenyans since the two leaders have been engaging in heated political debates over last year’s presidential election.
Several leaders, especially from the Jubilee wing, have congratulated President Kenyatta for reaching out to the opposition leader.
A section of opposition politicians have, however, raised reservations with deported self-declared National Resistance Movement (NRM)leader Miguna Miguna hitting out at Raila for meeting Uhuru.
Miguna in a tweet claimed that Raila’s action was a betrayal in the quest for NASA's electoral reforms in the county.
Questions are also arising on why Raila ’s co-principals Kalonzo Musyoka, Moses Wetangula and Musalia Mudavadi were not present at the Harambee House meeting.