People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua has denied discussing the proposed conclave talks with ODM leader Raila Odinga, who is the proponent of the initiative.
This comes after the ODM leader, on Sunday, said he had discussed the issue with several opposition leaders, including PLP Party leader Karua.
But speaking on Wednesday, Karua said that even though she reached out to Raila via a phone call, they did not discuss the conclave talks.
Karua said he declined Raila's request for a face-to-face meeting to discuss the matter, stating that she had informed him she was set to travel out of the country.
“He mentioned that he was misunderstood about the conclave, but I did not entertain any discussion because I just wanted to prick his conscience, and I left it there.
“I have not discussed with him the conclave. He did suggest that we should have a face-to-face meeting, and I told him I'm off to the US. I'm not in favour of a meeting at all over those matters,” Karua said on Nation FM.
The former Justice Minister explained that they had to make calls, and the first call to Raila was to pass a personal message from a mutual friend, while the second call aimed to prick his conscience after the aftermath of Saba Saba Day.
“I want to say that I am the one who called him at the beginning of July to pass a personal message to him from a mutual contact. I then followed up on that call, not about the contact, but to look at what was happening after Saba Saba," Karua said.
"I asked as a person who has throughout his life fought for Kenyans, how his conscience sits with the continuous bloodletting? I told him I didn’t want a discussion and wanted to leave it with him. All I was appealing to Raila is please withdraw your support.”
Karua’s remarks come a few days after Raila said that he discussed the conclave talks with various leaders, including retired President Uhuru Kenyatta, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and her.
Speaking on Sunday on NTV, Raila stated that while Kalonzo has rejected the call, they are still discussing it.
He described the former Vice President’s reaction to the call as a wait-and-see case.
The former prime minister noted that barely a week goes by without him speaking to the leaders of the united opposition and those in government, insisting that he is a neutral party capable of uniting the two sides.
“President Ruto has not opposed it; I mentioned it to President Uhuru Kenyatta and Kalonzo Musyoka. I talk to him (Kalonzo Musyoka) almost every day; even yesterday I talked to him about it. He is having what we call a 'wait and see' attitude. I talk to all these people. I talk to Martha all the time. A week does not go by before I talk to the people in the United Opposition and also those on the other side. I am in a neutral position to try to heal the wounds and bring the candidates together,” Raila said.
He, however, said that he has not held any discussion on the conclave talks with President William Ruto.
The ODM leader said that it was just a proposal he was presenting to the people of Kenya in his individual capacity.
Initially, I did not discuss it with him (William Ruto). I made this proposal myself to Kenyans. I was not even proposing it as ODM. I wanted Kenyans to digest it and see if they would accept it, and that's why I wanted it to be a debate. I have given reasons why we should have it, and we are getting kind of a good momentum.”
