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United States Senator for Delaware Chris Coons has denied claims that the US government is pushing for a coalition government to resolve the stalemate between opposition leader Raila Odinga and President William Ruto.

In an interview with Voice of America (VoA), Senator Coons said the US government is not pushing for any specific outcome on the talks between the two leaders, who recently agreed to give dialogue a chance to resolve the current standoff.

The ceasefire came days after Senator Coons’s tour of the country last month, where he held discussions with Raila, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and retired President Uhuru Kenyatta over the situation in the country that saw the opposition call for weekly demonstrations to protest against the high cost of living and alleged electoral fraud in the last presidential poll.

Coons is credited for brokering the handshake between Uhuru and Raila after the 2017 disputed presidential election and his visit to the country sparked speculations of handshake talks between Ruto and the Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya coalition leader.

But in his recent interview with VoA, Coons said his talks with the Kenyan leadership centred on future elections.

“I had the opportunity to have, I hope, some positive and productive personal conversations with the deputy president, with the former prime minister and with the former president, to just help them hear each other and to act as an intermediary. I think central is the path forward for the [electoral commission]. That is critical to there being in the future free and fair elections in Kenya,” Coons said.

During the meeting with the leaders, Coons said he also advocated for the preservation of the country’s democracy.

“My core message, frankly, to everyone I met with was: The United States is not trying to push any specific outcome or alignment of this government. We’re simply trying to help you hear each other and recognize that democracy is fragile, is difficult, and requires there being space for a legitimate opposition to be heard, for complaints and concerns about the economy about the election to be heard, and for the duly elected president of the country to be able to lead the country forward,” he added.

DP Gachagua is among the leaders opposed to a handshake between Ruto and Raila.

In a recent interview with Inooro TV, Gachagua said he turned down an offer for dialogue with the opposition, which is opposed to Ruto’s proposed parliamentary process to address Azimio’s grievances.

Gachagua disclosed that during his talks with Coons, the senator was unable to explain why former US President Donald Trump had not spoken with President Joe Biden after the disputed US election in 2020.

“I told him yes, I would also want for peace to prevail in Kenya….but in America after Trump lost and there was a lot of unrest why did you not invite him and give him half the government?” Gachagua posed.

“I told him to tell Raila that we would not sit down for talks…. that if he wants to talk to us, he should talk to his MPs to talk to our MPs.

“Why would we hold an election then, if some people will come with protests and demand they be given a part of the government?”