President Uhuru Kenyatta yesterday said he is willing to engage the opposition as he led Kenyans in commemorating the 53rd Jamhuri Day.
He however cautioned that his government will not hesitate to take stern action against any leader or citizen who breaches the Constitution.
“The Constitution is the general will of all. No one is above it: No matter who you are, you are subject to its authority. Anything outside the Constitution is a hostile intrusion,” warned the President.
Uhuru, who had last week ruled out any talks with the opposition leader, said he is willing to engage with all Kenyans – including the NASA leaders – in focusing the nation on economic transformation.
Deputy President William Ruto was the first to extend an olive branch to the NASA leaders, who have maintained they will not recognize President Uhuru as duly elected.
“I am willing to commit to and engage with all Kenyans and all Kenyan leaders, including my competitors; irrespective of their religious or ethnic affiliations in fashioning this new paradigm shift,” said Uhuru.
The President said the time for politics is up and called on Kenyans to join together and move the country forward.
“The pursuit of politics for politics’ sake must be a thing of the past. Pursuit of politics for economic liberation is our future,” he said.
Last week on Saturday, the President was categorical that any talks around elections should wait until 2022.
“Any dialogue on a political issue should wait until 2022, and dialogue with Ruto, because I will be retiring,” said Uhuru during the burial of Susan Wairimu, the mother of Murang’a Woman Representative Sabina Chege, in Kigumo, Murang’a county.
NASA leader Raila Odinga has been pushing for ‘electoral justice’ talks and the formation of a caretaker government as the country prepares for another round of a presidential election in February 2018.
Raila had declared he would take an oath of office as the People’s President ushered in by the People’s Assembly if his demands are not met. The parallel inauguration – earlier scheduled to run parallel to the Jamhuri celebrations – was however postponed on Sunday to a later date.
The State warned against Raila’s oath, saying it amounts to high treason and would be punishable only by death.
The United States has also pushed for a transparent and open national conversation to solve Kenya’s long-standing issues.
Yesterday, the President, who doubles as the Commander-in-Chief of all the armed forces, put on notice any leader perpetrating lawlessness in the country, saying the law will not spare anyone.
“This thinking promotes the belief that we strengthen the weak by weakening the strong; it wants us to believe that a Kenyan can climb the ladder of prosperity only if he brings down a fellow Kenyan.”
