•Lumumba who doubles up as a lawyer said he was writing at a time when Kenya’s economy, like many others, is facing great challenges.
•He appealed to Raila not to think of who is right and who is wrong but to think of the Country.
Former EACC boss Patrick Lumumba has penned a confidential letter to President William Ruto and Opposition Chief Raila Odinga revealing his views on the Status of the country.
“I am writing to you a long letter at a time when every objective observer cannot deny that our country is on tenterhooks,” he said.
In the letter dated March 1, 2023, Lumumba expressed dissatisfaction with how the two leaders have been conducting themselves after the August 2022 polls.
He claimed the two leaders were engaging in a war of words as Kenyans are suffering due to the rising cost of living.
Lumumba, who is a former EACC boss, now wants both Ruto and Raila to lower their guard and put the interests of Kenyans first.
To President Ruto, Lumumba has urged him to continue discharging his duties as the head of State without fear but also work with the opposition.
“Work with the Opposition to ensure economic recovery, social cohesion and political stability,” the letter reads.
To Raila, Lumumba appealed to him not to think of who is right and who is wrong but to think of the country at large.
“The country is watching. I urge you, for the sake of Kenya, to remain deaf to the entreaties of those who are urging intransigence,” Lumumba said.
He told Raila that however aggrieved he feels, he should use his considerable experience and influence to help existing institutions such as Parliament to bring necessary changes as we look to the future.
The former EACC boss took the two leaders back to the events that transpired during and post the August 2022 elections
He acknowledged that Ruto had been elected as the President and Raila being dissatisfied, filed a Petition at the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court unanimously determined that the elections had been conducted in accordance with the law and Ruto had been validly elected.
Despite the proceedings, Lumumba says that the country has not been at ease due to the “consultation” meetings the Opposition chief has continued to hold.
“Raila and his compatriots instituted what they have described as 'Public Consultations', which have now acquired a pattern of weekly public rallies at which the "Azimio Fraternity" continues to reiterate that Kenya Kwanza government is illegitimate,” he said.
From January, Raila has led the Azimio Coalitions in anti-government protests.
So far they have held rallies in Nairobi, Machakos, Kisumu, Busia, Kisii and Kakamega.
As it stands, the former EACC boss claims that Kenya is now in a state that was described by Charles Dickens, in his novel 'A tale of two cities'.
Due to the ‘rivalry’, Lumumba says the social media is awash with commentators on both sides of the political divide exchanging vitriolic messages.
“Some may deny that Kenya is under threat, but the mother country is under threat and very lonely now,” he noted.
Not living the religious bodies behind, Lumumba said that they have been drawn into the cold war between President Ruto and Raila.
“It is unfortunate that even the clergy who could have had the moral high ground to mediate the situation have been drawn into the arena of the cold war and are on either side of the political divide,” he added.
Addressing Ruto and Raila, the former EACC boss said that history will judge the two harshly if chaos were to emerge.
To the Head of State, Lumumba told Ruto that history will record that he was in charge when chaos broke and that Raila was present and added fuel to the fire.
He says the time is now ripe for the two leaders to demonstrate selflessness and patriotism to prevent chaos.
“This is the time when the spirit of selflessness and an unadulterated patriotism must take charge. There is too much anger in the political realm,” Lumumba stated.
Lumumba who doubles up as a lawyer said he was writing at a time when Kenya’s economy, like many others, is facing great challenges.