Raila Odinga: I have forgiven President Uhuru for calling me mad man.

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Speaking at the University of Nairobi where he met young people from Mount Kenya, Raila said he had forgiven Uhuru for calling him a magician, Gikuyu for a madman.

The ODM chief said the president also forgave him for calling him a drunkard.

Raila was describing what happened after the new 2017 presidential election which he and his team boycotted.

After the uprising, Raila and Uhuru on March 9, 2018, buried their differences in a deal that is now known as the Handshake.

The ODM chief said he and Uhuru were detained in two meetings which lasted 13 hours and six hours before agreeing to resolve the issues.

Their motivation, Raila says, was national responsibility performed by their fathers and hence their contribution to Kenya’s independence.

Raila said their fathers were so close that Uhuru was like his brother. “We remember where we came from and our feelings of nationalism,” he said.

He warned Kenyans against just seeing themselves and the community that belongs to them.

“Kenyans will not fight again after the election,” the ODM chief added.

Raila added that he is confident that next year’s elections will be free and fair.

He said the main contributor to the post-election violence was the voting system.

“Internal refugees are still in the camp since the 2007-08 post-election unrest.

Raila said it was necessary to address unity in the run-up to the election to avoid violence, which is the basis for shaking hands.

Raila’s meeting with Mount Kenya’s youth comes against the history of politicians vying for the voice-rich camp ahead of the general election.

Leaders of the Mount Kenya Foundation (MKF) have announced that they will unveil their favorite presidential candidate in retreat in Limuru.

The MKF issued the statement on October 8 when they clashed over allegations that they had agreed on ODM leader Raila Odinga, the day One Kenya Alliance (OKA) leaders made a strong argument for their candidates.

Businessmen and politicians have challenged opposition leaders to present a single position in the next vote to avoid dividing the vote on what could work on behalf of Vice President William Ruto.

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