Kabando wa Kabando: I have been vindicated after Uhuru-Raila talks

A section of Jubilee leaders led by former Mukurwe-Ini MP Kabando Wa Kabando and former Higher Education assistant minister, Dr. Kilemi Mwiria, have welcomed the dialogue initiated by President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition leader, Raila Odinga.

The leaders say that the dialogue was long overdue and welcomed the two leaders, gesture saying it will go a long way in addressing the political animosity in the country.

Last week, President Kenyatta of the ruling Jubilee Party and Mr Odinga of the opposition National Super Alliance (NASA) held lengthy talks at Harambee House before jointly addressing the press where they assured Kenyans that they had put aside their political differences in the interest of uniting the country.

Following the alleged mishandling of the August 8, 2017 presidential election that saw the victory of President Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto nullified by the Supreme Court, Kabando – together with other top Jubilee politicians including former Kiambu Governor William Kabogo called on the Kenyatta and Odinga-led faction to sit down and dialogue.

Though nothing substantial was achieved during this season, the politicians continued mounting pressure on the leaders to meet and agree on basic issues ahead of the repeat election that was scheduled for October 26, 2017.

On October 15, Mr Kabando and several NASA MPs said they would lead the negotiations to address any disputes on how the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) would conduct the October 26 polls.

However, nothing much was achieved and this led to NASA’s boycott of the election that saw Uhuru emerge victorious and his win upheld by the Supreme Court.

The NASA leader, Mr. Odinga, would proceed to swear himself in on January 30, 2018 as the People’s President in an event that was skipped by his co-principals Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper), Musalia Mudavadi (ANC) and Moses Wetangula (FORD Kenya), with the leaders saying they were under house arrest.

Political differences between the opposition and the ruling Jubilee administration became too pronounced leading to the arrest of several opposition leaders and subsequent deportation of the self declared National Resistance Movement-Kenya leader, Miguna Miguna.

The Mt Kenya leaders now say that the talks between Uhuru and Raila should be replicated across the country and that no life should be lost as a result of politics.

For Mr Kabando, he says he has been vindicated since what he stood for has come to pass.