Ruto: I will call Raila “my brother” 10 times if it helps stop demos
President William Ruto now says he will call opposition leader Raila Odinga "my brother" many times if it helps stop anti-government protests and violence associated with the mass action.
Speaking at State House on Tuesday night, President Ruto noted that he was ready to address the Azimio la Umoja - One Kenya coalition leader as "my dear brother" if it was the only way to appeal to him to suspend further protests in the country.
“If calling Raila Odinga my brother will make him stop the protests and violence, destruction of property, I will call him that 10 times. I will even call him my dear brother,” Ruto said when hosted the Muslim community for an Iftar dinner last night.
While appealing to Raila to call off weekly demonstrations early this month, Ruto used the term "my brother" to address the former prime minister.
The president said the opposition's protests that sought to pressure the government to lower the cost of living and deal with electoral injustices had left a trail of destruction and loss of lives.
He implored the Azimio leader to stand down on the demonstrations to pave way for dialogue through parliament.
"I urge my brother Raila Odinga, and the opposition, to call off the demonstrations, and to give this bipartisan approach a chance for us to take the country forward," Ruto said.
Raila called off the demonstrations but insisted that Azimio "reserve the right to call for demonstrations should this process not bear fruit".
Last week, Raila, however, said the demonstrations would resume after the holy month of Ramadhan.
Speaking during the Azimio coalition town hall meeting held in Ufungamano House on Thursday, April 13, Raila claimed that the decision was made after a consultative meeting with other leaders allied to the coalition due to a lack of seriousness from the government regarding proposed bipartisan talks.
