The coming together of Raila Odinga and President Uhuru Kenya to steer the country on a path of reconciliation and unity is commendable. They have shown to be men who are ahead of their time and not leaders who only exist for short-term solutions. They have the aspirations and desires of the millions of Kenyans. They have committed themselves to achieving peace, stability and building a monument that is projected to bring success and prosperity for the country. Kenyans want to get rid of corruption, negative ethnicity, politics of convenience and bad governance. From a turbulent and uncertain time largely due to the August disputed elections, both of them have the chance to turn the economy of the country around and become a powerhouse to be reckoned with in the East African region.
As sons of the founding fathers, the handshake has shown a meticulous and tireless spirit in their pursuit of nation-building often in the midst of chaos, violence and division. Their coming together and pursuit of national healing is hope to be felt and experienced in every aspect of a Kenyan’s life. While rallying everyone around toward the success of the Big Four agenda, we must not lose sight of the stability and healing that the handshake has brought for the country. The height of any nation is measured by the quality of its leadership. And without doubt, Raila and Uhuru are building themselves a place in the book of history. While for years, they have been perceived as protagonists, today through the Building Bridges Initiative which was birthed through the handshake, they have a sacred duty to redeem hopes and aspirations of citizens.
For handshake to work, it will take us all.
Governance and political analyst
