Kenya’s President Kenyatta backs his former rival

NAIROBI. — Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta says he backs his former rival, Raila Odinga in polls.

The move comes weeks after the two leaders’ parties joined forces ahead of a general election in August.

President Kenyatta endorsed his former archrival for the country’s top job, weeks after their parties joined forces ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections in August.

“We have chosen Raila Odinga, without any opposition, to be the fifth president of Kenya,” Kenyatta told a cheering crowd of thousands in the capital Nairobi.

The announcement brings together two of Kenya’s top political dynasties, who have a long history of opposing each other at the ballot box.

But in 2018, Kenyatta and Odinga stunned the country when they shook hands and declared a truce after post-election violence in 2017 left dozens of people dead.

Last month, Kenyatta’s Jubilee party announced that it would join the Azimio la Umoja (Quest for Unity) coalition headed by Odinga.

On Saturday, Kenyatta declared his backing for the veteran opposition leader, saying: “We don’t have any doubt that we have a team captain in Raila Amolo Odinga.”

Odinga, 77, responded, saying the pair’s journey from bitter electoral rivals to political partners “has been the most unlikely in the history of our country.” —Kenya Times.