Otiende Amollo Exposes Suluhu-Raila’s SecretTalks
Wednesday, July 26th, Rarieda member of parliament Otiende Amollo disclosed additional details regarding the controversial visit of Tanzanian president Samia Suluhu to Kenya.
During an interview with Spice FM, the lawmaker disclosed that former Prime Minister Raila Odinga informed his team of Suluhu’s arrival in the country and the primary purpose of the visit, which was to facilitate negotiations between the government and the opposition.
According to the co-chair of the bipartisan committee formed to foster engagements between the warring parties, Azimio la Umoja troops promptly voiced their opposition to the meeting.
Despite Omollo’s refusal to disclose the names of opposition politicians who held divergent views, he explained that the leader opposed the talks due to the failure of previous negotiations with Kenya Kwanza.
Despite opposition, Raila reportedly attended the meeting, as he has repeatedly stated his willingness to engage foreign envoys and other mediators to find a solution.
On Tuesday, July 25, the former prime minister claimed that Suluhu flew to Kenya and spent two nights there before returning home. Ruto was charged with avoiding the meeting despite having invited his counterpart to Kenya.
Raila’s statements were corroborated by Otiende Amollo, who insisted that the negotiations collapsed after Suluhu was thwarted by President William Ruto’s faction.
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“I was with him even when the former prime minister was to meet Suluhu. As a believer in dialogue, he elected to go,” the representative confirmed.
It has yet to be disclosed what was discussed and where the meeting took place.
According to reports, Suluhu traveled to Kenya alongside the former president of Tanzania, Jakaya Kikwete. The two reportedly arrived at Wilson Airport in Kenya before proceeding to a private hotel to meet Ruto.
Kikwete, the Head of the Easter African Community (EAC) Election Observation Mission, was among the delegates who observed the Kenyan General Election of August 2022.
In his preliminary assessment of the election, Kikwete noted that the process was legitimate and conducted peacefully. In addition, he praised the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), stating that it had improved in terms of election transparency, preparation, and management, with space for further development.
Tanzania has not yet commented on reports that Suluhu visited Kenya. Ruto’s faction, however, issued contradictory statements, with some MPs discrediting the allegations and others playing coy.
President William Ruto invited Raila to one-on-one discussions, insisting that the two could meet without mediators, amidst the confusion. The ODM leader has not yet responded to the invitation.
Otiende Amollo Exposes Suluhu-Raila’s SecretTalks
