This archive report was first published on 28 August 2019.
Kenyatta-Odinga Handshake: A Historic Moment in Kenyan Politics ¶
On March 9, 2018, President Uhuru Kenyatta and his long-time rival Raila Odinga shook hands in a historic moment that would change the course of Kenyan politics. The gesture marked the end of a bitter rivalry and paved the way for national healing and dialogue.
The handshake was a rare display of pragmatism in a region where politics is often characterized by division and tribalism. It was a model that would be emulated in other parts of the world, and Kenya's geopolitical profile would rise as a result.
One-and-a-half years down the road, the handshake has led to significant progress. The Building Bridges Initiative Presidential Taskforce (BBI) has been touring the country, seeking citizen views and solutions on pressing challenges such as ethnic competition and antagonism, divisive politics, corruption, and exclusion.
The handshake has also cushioned the ongoing war on corruption from political interference and spawned bipartisan goodwill on national issues both in and out of Parliament. However, a section of the political class remains opposed to the handshake and the BBI, viewing it as a threat to their future political interests and ambitions.
Despite the opposition, the handshake has brought clear benefits to Kenya and the region. President Kenyatta and Mr. Odinga have worked together to improve Kenya-Tanzania relations, which had been characterized by misunderstandings and division. Mr. Odinga has also joined President Kenyatta's push to support peace and stability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The Kenyatta-Odinga rapprochement has also seen the fast-tracking of major projects in western Kenya, including the port of Kisumu, which President Kenyatta initiated in 2016. The port's implementation has been stabilized, and political confrontation has been brought to a halt.
As long as the political dalliance between President Kenyatta and Mr. Odinga holds, it can be expected that Kenya's geopolitical profile will continue to rise. The country is seeking a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council, and the handshake's significance and impact will be seen in how the two leaders lobby countries in Africa and beyond to support the bid.
Something else worth noting about the handshake is that it has attracted international attention. A number of political science scholars from other countries, including the US, have been trooping to Kenya to study the handshake, hailed as a first in Africa.
Mr. Choto is a lawyer and public affairs specialist. You can reach him at [email protected].
