Waiguru meets Raila, withdraws defamation suit

Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has withdrawn a defamation suit she had filed against Opposition leader Raila Odinga for linking her to the Ksh 791 million National Youth Service (NYS) Season I scandal.

Waiguru made the announcement on Twitter after meeting Raila, saying she opted not to pursue the matter in the spirit of cohesion and reconciliation. The former PM has closed ranks with several Jubilee leaders since the March 9 Handshake agreement with President Uhuru Kenyatta, which birthed the Building Bridges Initiative.

Recently, his status went a notch higher when the African Union appointed him its High Representative on Infrastructure Development in Africa.

Just had a meeting with former Prime Minister H.E Right Honorable @RailaOdinga on the outstanding matter in court.

In the spirit of cohesion and reconciliation in the country, the matter stands settled. pic.twitter.com/m8481UUtDh

— Anne Waiguru (@AnneWaiguru) November 14, 2018

On his part, Raila tweeted:

Held a meeting with Governor @AnneWaiguru and agreed to “let by-gones be by-gones” and leave the matter of the NYS scandal in the hands of investigators. She said her case against me is now settled in the spirit of reconciliation that the nation has embarked on. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/D56SP2qcLX

— Raila Odinga (@RailaOdinga) November 14, 2018

Waiguru said that during their meeting, they also deliberated on matters of devolution, adding that Raila confirmed and affirmed his support for it going forward.

Waiguru had sued Raila demanding that he produces evidence linking her to the scandal, saying his sustained campaign against her led to her decision to quit as Devolution and Planning Cabinet Secretary.

“When Raila stood up in Kibera and said that I had stolen Ksh 1 billion NYS money he must have evidence. Why he has not come before the court to produce that evidence is what I cannot understand. I insist he defamed me and what will stop him from coming to the dock to apologise to me is by becoming President and he is not going to become,” Waiguru told Citizen TV’ JKL programme last year.

An attempt by Raila seeking Waiguru to declare her assets was thrown out by High Court judge Joseph Sergon.