Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen while speaking on Monday, June 12 at Kabunde Airstrip in HomaBay County stated that he can arrange for a ceasefire meeting between President William Ruto and Azimio leader Raila Odinga if both parties are willing.
The CS noted that the president and the opposition leader have worked together in the past, thus, they should come to a truce to resolve the present stalemate over the proposed Finance Bill, 2023.
According to Murkomen, President Ruto learnt the political ropes from Raila Odinga, hence, his rise to presidency is also a testament to the Azimio One Kenya leader’s political prowess.
As such, CS Murkomen opined that the two leaders should consult each other on a wide array of issues touching on national development.
“I do not see the reason why Baba na President Ruto should not be consulting more, kwa sababu William Ruto alikuwa kwa academy ya Raila Odinga. The dream of every teacher is to have his student doing better than himself,” he said.
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“If you see William Ruto standing tall, he’s standing on the shoulders of a giant called Raila Odinga. There is no way as a country we can succeed to build our nation if we’re fighting each other. Hiyo kitu yenye Baba anataka kumwambia Ruto, wakubaliane wakutane mahali, mimi naweza panga, alafu tuongee.” He added.
The CS also drummed up support for the controversial Finance Bill, 2023, and called on Azimio leadership to support it.
Murkomen explained that most of the proposals in the Bill, especially the housing levy, was also in Odinga’s campaign manifesto.
As such, he noted that opposing it now presumably only smells malice.
“Mimi nilikuwa mtu wa mkono wa Baba (Mr. Odinga), there is no reason why as leaders we should not be able to work together. Let me say this, ukiona ile mapendekezo mingi iko kwa Finance Bill, kwanza hiyo ya housing, hiyo pendekezo I think ni William Ruto alichukua kutoka kwa Baba,” he said.
“The manifesto ya ODM na UDA kwa mambo ya housing ni the same, ata percentage ni the same… ni ile tu sasa mmoja aliingia, mwingine ataingia baadaye.” He added.
