THE AFRICAN COURIER. Reporting Africa and its Diaspora! The African Courier is an international magazine published in Germany to report on Africa and the Diaspora African experience. The first issue of the bimonthly magazine appeared on the newsstands on 15 February 1998. The African Courier is a communication forum for European-African political, economic and cultural exchanges, and a voice for Africa in Europe.
Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga has revealed the process and details that led to a surprise reconciliation with the Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta.
The two politicians who have not been seeing eye to eye since the disputed August 8, 2017 presidential elections, held a meeting and addressed the press together last week on 9 March.
They told Kenyans that they had decided to put aside their differences and work together to unite the nation.
Odinga who had declared himself the ‘people’s president’ had not spoken to his supporters since the March 9 meeting.
Victims to be compensated, charges dropped
During a visit to his home turf of Kisumu this week on Friday (16 March), Odinga addressed an enthusiastic crowd of his supporters and outlined the details of his deal with the government.
Odinga said the victims of violence during the last General Election will be compensated by the government.
“Many of our people were killed and maimed following the elections last year. We agreed with President Kenyatta that all these among other injustices must be addressed and compensation made to the affected families,” Odinga said.
Anti-government protests erupted in some parts of the county following the 2017 General Election and the repeat presidential poll. Dozens of people were killed and others injured as police moved to quell the protests.
Odinga also revealed that suspects facing charges in connection with his January 30 ‘oath’ as people’s president will be freed and charges dropped.
Odinga said he discussed with Mr Kenyatta a myriad of issues aimed at burying old enmities and fostering unity among the country’s communities.
While addressing the crowd in Kisumu’s Kondele, one of the epic centres of the 2017 post-election violence, Odinga clarified that the talks were between ‘two’ presidents and not between Nasa and Jubilee.
He told the crowd that with their permission, he would bring president Kenyatta to the Nyanza region to ‘affirm the peace act’.
Raila said all the 44 Kenyan tribes must walk together to the promised land he has been promising his supporters, adding that he and President Kenyatta will tour the country to preach peace and reconciliation.
Adira Kallo
