President Uhuru Kenyatta has explained to a section of governors, allied to both NASA and Jubilee why he will not have a sit down with NASA in the clamour to have national dialogue.
Uhuru is reportedly said to have sat down with several governors on Friday on the sidelines of their induction in Kwale.
Here, a defiant President made it clear he is not dialoguing with Raila Odinga or anyone from his camp on politics.
A source at the meeting told the Star: “The President told the governors that he will only discuss genuine needs and grievances related to development and guided by his Big Four agenda.”
Turkana’s Josphat Nanok, Kakamega’s Wycliffe Oparaya, Makueni’s Kivutha Kibwana, Kiraitu Murungi (Meru), Salim Mvurya (Kwale), Joyce Laboso (Bomet), Jackson Mandago (Uasin Gishu), and Francis Kimemia (Nyandarua) are some of the Governors who attended the meeting with the President.
Uhuru said that he is aware what the opposition is after because it is a repetition of what has been happening since 1997.
He said he was part of the Inter-Party Parliamentary Group negotiations in 1997 and those behind the negotiations are the same people pushing for talks right now.
He added that in 2003, the same group engineered post-election talks with the same agenda points that ended up with bungling the country’s first national referendum.
Drawing reference to calls by envoys and the clergy to hound out of office IEBC officials in 2015, Uhuru said this is enough to know what the dialogue push this time is all about.
“He is not returning to that journey. That’s for others. He is open to discuss the economy and development and this is not about talks with NASA. He will reach out to different groups at the appropriate time,” as source close to the Presidency said.
Diplomats led by US ambassador Robert Godec and UK High Commissioner Nic Hailey backed by the clergy are pushing for immediate and sustained national dialogue.
So far, they have proposed a 4-point agenda which should form the basis of negotiations between Jubilee and NASA.
Uhuru has however, maintained he will not have any political dialogue with NASA. But, he is ready to engage the opposition in any talks bordered on growth and development of the country.
Raila on the other hand insists there must be dialogue between him and President Uhuru.
His team is also pushing for his “inauguration” early next year.