Mombasa traders gave President William Ruto and opposition chief Raila Odinga a round of applause following their truce, stating that the move has increased their sales compared to when they were tense and afraid of protests.
Speaking to KNA at Mombasa Central Business District (CBD), the residents reiterated that it is for the well-being of this country’s economy and prosperity for the two leaders to come to accord stating that demonstrations will tamper with the peace of the nation and also lead to recession.
They clarified that any discussion between the duo should not be based on their gratification but for the benefit of Kenyans and expressed hope that the cost of living which is one of the irreducible minimums tabled by the opposition leader would be addressed.
National Chairman of the Kenya Muslim National Advisory Council (KEMNAC) Shaikh Juma Ngao commended the two for agreeing to have a dialogue to solve the political impasse that had disrupted business in the coastal city.
However, Ngao insisted that the cost of living should go down after the engagement since it is the citizens who suffering and not the leaders. He added that the subsidization of basic commodities should be a priority of the dialogue to cater to the needs of all citizens.
He pleaded with the citizens to maintain peace and harmony in the country for the economy and businesses to thrive.
The opposition has for the last two weeks held anti-government protests demanding the lowering of the cost of living, the opening of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) servers, and the termination of the IEBC selection panel.
The President extended an olive branch to the opposition leader Raila Odinga while addressing the nation on Sunday at State House in Nairobi where he stated that they had requested Parliament to consider the proposal for a bipartisan approach to addressing the matters raised by the opposition leader as a priority
By Michael Maluta
