Raila’s handshake with the ‘Nairobi Business Community’

Previously on “There are no enemies in politics,” former Prime Minister and NASA leader Raila Odinga on Friday met with his campaign-period arch nemesis, the so-called Nairobi Business Community.

According to Philip Etale, ODM’s director of communication, Mr Odinga met the group to brief them on the handshake deal between him and President Uhuru Kenyatta.

“H.E. Raila Odinga with members of the Nairobi Gema small business community who hosted him for breakfast meeting today at a Nairobi Hotel. He briefed them on the Handshake. The group pledged to champion Handshake agenda at the grassroots,” tweeted Etale.

The Nairobi Business Community rose to infamy during the run up to the repeat presidential election where they viciously opposed the weekly demonstrations called by the opposition coalition.

Tensions started after the group called a press statement to claim they had booked the same venue that NASA had announced they would use in one of their rallies.

The group, which raised concerns over their rugged appearance which led to many claiming they were members of the outlawed Mungiki sect.

“Dreadlocks cannot be said to be an identity of Mungiki. That would mean that Maina Njenga and Ndura Waruingi, who were the founders, were not actually Mungiki because they did not have dreadlocks,” Mr. Wilfred Kamau, the group’s chairman was quoted in parts of the media.

He defended the group saying they have businesses in downtown Nairobi, especially around Kirinyaga and River road.