By Kamadi Amata

Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya leader Raila Odinga has claimed that President William Ruto declined to allow South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to mediate talks between them.

“I insist there must be someone between us. President Ramaphosa wants to come but he (Ruto) has refused. President Suluhu is there,” Raila was quoted as having told AFP on Wednesday.

President Ruto has indicated his willingness to meet Raila for talks but the former prime minister wants a third-party mediator present.

Raila, who has said he is also ready for dialogue, has, however, expressed his reservations claiming that President Ruto cannot be trusted if there is no mediator.

“I think he is basically joking. He is not serious about dialogue. If he wants to talk, I am ready for serious dialogue, no in-betweens. We talk to him and tomorrow he changes and denies the same, that is why we need someone to sit there as a witness,” Raila told AFP.

“He (Ruto) is not somebody you can trust, he keeps changing and twisting words.”

Ramaphosa enjoys an age-old bond with Raila.

In 2007, amid the political crisis triggered by the disputed presidential election outcome, former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan nominated Ramaphosa as the lead mediator.

However, despite having experience in trade union negotiations and partial participation in UN missions, the government side then led by Mwai Kibaki rejected him, saying he would be biased.