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Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua now says Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya coalition leader Raila Odinga had already dropped key demands to stop protests prior to the ongoing bi-partisan talks and that the negotiations are a ‘waste of time.’

“Nothing will come out of those talks. It is a waste of time. I’m telling you as deputy president of the Republic of Kenya,” he said.

According to the country’s second in command, Raila demanded that as a condition of re-entering the Kalonzo-Ichung’wah-led negotiations, he should be awarded three ambassadorial positions and a handshake.

This he said, Raila demanded during his meeting with President William Ruto in Mombasa.

Gachagua says all the demands were however declined and that he was only offered a send-off package on condition he retires from politics.

“Sasa Kalonzo, kiongozi wa heshima, mtu amesoma, mtu wa sheria, amepewa agenda kwenda kuzungumza mambo ya kuzunguka round. Raila hakuna kitu anatafuta, alitaka tumpatie serikali nusu mkate tukasema hakuna. Alitaka ati handshake tukamwambia hakuna. Akasema ambassador tatu tukamwambia hakuna. Tukasema ukitaka pesa kidogo ya kukula we can discuss, ukienda nyumbani. Aende akiendanga.”

The DP says it’s questionable how Raila had already made the demands while sidelining his Azimio coalition co-principal Kalonzo Musyoka just as he did during former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s era.

“Ile mazungumzo Kalonzo ametumwa, ni mambo tu ya kuzungusha wakenya. There is nothing. Na ndio maana umeona sisi tumetuma Kimani Ichung’wa, Cheruiyot, Mbarire…. Mimi na Rais tuko kazini. Mazungumzo ikiendelea kesho tutakua Nakuru, kesho kutwa tutakua Baringo, siku ya Saturday tutakua Busia mambo ya maendeleo,” the DP stated.

Adding;

“These talks being led by Kalonzo, there is nothing to wait from there. 2018 Raila aliendea handshake na Uhuru, hakuambia Kalonzo…hakuenda nayeye. Akaenda akatengeneza deal yake na Uhuru wakamalizana. Projects zote alitoa kwa Uhuru akapeleka kwao. Kuna project alileta huku? Lakini nyinyi ata baada ya kufanyia nyinyi hivo, mkamtafuta mkaanguka nayeye.

“Now ametafuta Rais juzi, hakukuja na Kalonzo. Hakuna mambo ya Kalonzo aliongea. Aliongea mambo yake, ya mtoto wake na bibi yake na watu yao. Sasa hii mazungumzo ametuma Kalonzo… pale kwa agenda hakuna mambo ya maji ya ukambani, mbolea, ama bara bara.  Kwa hiyo mazungumzo, nini iko hapo ya wakamba?” Gachagua quipped.

The DP was speaking on Tuesday, August 22, 2023, during the burial ceremony of the late Anne Musau, who is the mother of Mwala MP Vincent Musyoka (Kawaya), in Machakos County.