- The majority leader also rubbished off Azimio's demand on opening the IEBC server saying that as Kenya Kwanza, they don’t have the key.
Image: FILE
National Assembly majority leader Kimani Ichung’wah has maintained that there will be no Nusu Mkate deal even as they look forward to engaging their Azimio counterparts.
Speaking in Kiambu County during the oil consecration ceremony at AIPCA Church on Thursday, Ichung’wah said that he is the one holding the keys to any possible handshake deal adding that he would not allow that to happen.
“If there is a bread that is being sliced, it is with William Ruto and Rigathi Gachagua. I am the one holding the knife and I won’t let go,” said Ichungwah.
“Whether you call me hardliner or wherever, the people of Limuru and other Kenyans who voted for us said they want William Ruto and Rigathi Gachagua to divide the bread to every Kenyan. And I do hold the knife. And I will not give the knife to someone who has never passed through it.”
While responding to Raila's statements that he is not interested in the Handshake deal, Ichung'wah claimed the Azimio team is the one pushing for a deal that will see them share power with Kenya Kwanza.
“I have heard them say that we are obsessed with a handshake and Nusu Mkate. It is not us who are obsessed, it is you our brothers who are obsessed with Nusu Mkate, national accord, and Handshake,” Ichung’wah said.
The majority leader also rubbished off Azimio's demand on opening the IEBC server saying that as Kenya Kwanza, they don’t have the key.
“They want us to open the servers. And we have told them those servers were opened in the Supreme Court. We have no key. But we have a key to open a discussion on how we will recover the economic clauses, that we have made over the last five years courtesy of the handshake and the handshake regime,” he said.
He went on to say they cannot restore the four IEBC commissioners since it's unconstitutional.
“We have heard and listened to their demands; four of them. They want us to reconsider the reconstitution of IEBC and we have said and we confirmed through the bipartisan parliamentary process, we are ready to engage on that,” he added.
“They want us to reinstate the Cherera four. It is unconstitutional. We have no means of doing things that are unconstitutional against our statutes and our constitution.”
He said that they are ready to talk with the opposition party and they are all invited.
“We are ready to talk and we want to talk about the people-centered issues as much as the leadership and governance issues that affect our country. And we are inviting all our friends,” he said.
He also added that the president and his deputy are working hard to bring down the cost of living as they promised in their manifesto.
“Every day, the deputy president, the president is focused on the implementation of the plan, the manifesto we sold to the people of Kenya to bring down the cost of living,” said Ichung’wah.